Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1694573757647.pdf (Australia)
The Australian Family Association Western Australian Division PO Box 652, Belmont WA 6984 Unit 5 102 Robinson Ave Belmont 6104 T: (08) 9277 1644 F: 6114 3320 E: wa@family.org.au Web: www.family.org.au INQUIRY INTO FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND BELIEF We wish to present the following submission for your consideration.

There appears to be a concerted attempt by certain sectors within Australian society to silence the expression of ideas with which they disagree.
As a result of Anti-Discrimination Laws which have been passed at all levels of government, primarily to deter racial hatred, traditional religious values and beliefs are also coming under attack.

Laws in Australian states and territories provide that discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity are proscribed.
However, the laws are being interpreted so as to silence the expression of legitimate disagreement which can occur on, for example, the highly contentious issue of Same Sex ‘Marriage’ (SSM).

Recently the Archbishop of Tasmania, Julian Porteous, was required to provide an explanation for his conduct when he issued a pamphlet entitled Don’t Mess with Marriage - dealing with Catholic Church teaching on marriage - to parents of children in Catholic schools in Tasmania.
The content was deemed, by activist Martine Delaney, as offensive and a complaint was lodged with the Anti- Discrimination Authority.

It is clear, that in allowing this complaint, the State of Tasmania was in breach of the right to freedom of speech and religion for both Archbishop Porteous and the Catholic Church.

Fortunately, the potential conflict was defused by the withdrawal of the complaint.

It is interesting to note that this situation has arisen before SSM has been legalised in this country.
One can only speculate as to how much worse it will become when and if SSM is legalised!

The Victorian Abortion Law Reform Act (Section8), and the Tasmanian Reproductive Health (Access to Terminations Act) (Section 7) are also examples of breaches of freedom of religion and belief.
Both these Acts contain provisions which force health professionals to refer a woman seeking an abortion to another practitioner if the doctor initially consulted has a conscientious objection to abortion; despite the fact that he may not wish to do so.

The programs emanating from the Safe Schools Coalition Australia (SSCA) are also of major concern.
Ostensibly set up to counter bullying, schools which sign up for the program (said to number over 500 across Australia) are under no obligation to advise parents of the students attending the schools of the content of the program; which is a transparent indoctrination of the students into the LGBTIQ lifestyle.

In fact the students are provided with strategies to adopt to hide their interaction with questionable sites such as Minus18 and Scarleteen which can be accessed through the program.
Teachers are encouraged to incorporate aspects of the program into all core subjects in the curriculum, and parents are not permitted to exempt their children from this indoctrination.

Children themselves can be the subject of vilification by their peers if they question this indoctrination; a clear breach of their (and their parents) rights to freedom of belief.
The activities described above are clearly contrary to the sentiment contained in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR, 18): “Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

This right shall include freedom to...manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching”.
And, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR,18) which recognises the right of a person: “ to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance”.
J R Barich (President) FOUNDER MR B A SANTAMARIA, M A LL B (1915 – 1998) Patrons: RABBI SHALOM COLEMAN, AM, CBE, MA, BLIT, PhD (Hon), LLD (UWA) ELDER PETER MEURS, BEng REV DR MARGARET COURT, AO, MBE, PhD (Hon), LLD (Hon) RABBI SHIMON COWEN, PhD DAVID DAINTREE, BA MLitt PhD REV DR J I FLEMING, BA, ThL (Hons) PhD DR JOE SANTAMARIA, OAM, FRACP, FAFPHM, MMed , FHSA SIR PETER LAWLER OBE DR T B LYNCH, AO, MB, BS, FRACP DAME MARY SCHOLTENS, D S G (Papal) GREFORY K PIKE, BSc, PhD MAJOR GENERAL PETER R PHILLIPS, AO, MC, BA, FAICD (Retd) PROFESSOR NEVILLE ROCHOW SC Inquiry into the status of the human right to freedom of religion or beliefSubmission 49