The Australian Labor Party is working to protect LGBTQ students.
Recently, both major parties in Australia were in agreement over creating new anti-discrimination laws so religious schools couldn’t target gay students. Unfortunately, those bipartisan negotiations came to a standstill after the Liberal/National coalition government insisted that religious schools should be able to make students go to church.
According to Australian news site Stuff, the Labor Party has come through with new anti-discrimination legislation anyway.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison was the one to propose the new bill, which was celebrated by Labor Party members.
"I'm happy to have a discussion about how we ensure that we preserve the capacity of religious schools to teach the tenets of their faith," Labor Senator Penny Wong told the ABC.
"Nothing in the bill that is being proposed by the Labor Party stops that."
But as the Labor Party rises to protect LGBTQ youth, so too does their opposition. The Senate has decided to delay the vote on the Labor Party’s bill, according to the New Castle Star. In response, Wong stated that this move by conservative politicians was an “outrage.”
"Call an election instead of lying the way you have about this issue," Senator Wong told parliament.
Conservative opposition to the bill claims that it does block religious schools from enforcing rules like students attending chapel. The delayed vote is then allegedly to give room for altering the bill.
"We support it with reasonable amendments to ensure that for example religious schools can provide appropriate rules for the proper conduct of their schools," said Senator Cormann.
While Australian lawmakers have come to yet another standstill, the Labor party is pushing with all its might to protect LGBTQ youth from discrimination. They just have to get over the hurdle of their conservative peers.
