Five Liberal MPs Trent Zimmerman,Dave Sharma,Fiona Martin,Katie Allen and Bridget Archer rebelled to vote with Labor in support of amendments to the religious discrimination bill.
Religious schools and LGBTQI students are once again at the centre of the federal political debate. Fair enough if it seems like groundhog day. What is the proposed change,and why is there so much debate about trans kids?
Labor says the bill will go to the Senate “much better than it was” after it passed Parliament in the early hours of Thursday.
Five Liberal MPs crossed the floor to help Labor and independents amend the government’s Religious Discrimination Bill early on Thursday morning. The principal lawyer with the Human Rights Law Alliance writes that it is a betrayal.
In a blow to the government,five Liberals voted with Labor and crossbenchers to abolish the right of religious schools to discriminate against gay and transgender students.
Stephen Jones doesn’t see himself as a spokesman for the families of LGBTQI kids,but he had to speak up for children like his son who swim against the tide.
Appearances of Scott Morrison and Barnaby Joyce will become increasingly rare as the PM distances himself from one of his biggest liabilities.
Readers discuss whether religious schools should be allowed to discriminate against trans students;Scott Morrison urging his party to do what’s right for the team;and Melbourne’s scooter laws.
The 14-year-old son of Labor frontbencher Stephen Jones says he gave his father permission to talk about him in Parliament to encourage LGBTQI kids who don’t enjoy the support of their families.
Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman will cross the floor over the draft law as the opposition demands gay and transgender students be protected immediately.
Labor is aiming for the middle ground on the controversial religious freedom law and the strategy could leave the government with its budget overshadowed by more division.