MLC’s Vote on Tasmania’s Discrimination Laws Hailed
The state government is facing renewed pressure to reject proposed federal religious freedom bills after a vote rejecting them in the Legislative Council.
Members of the upper house voted nine to five in favour of a motion from independent member for Nelson Meg Webb.
One point of Ms Webb’s 10-point motion was amended to change the word “condemns” to “rejects” the federal government’s attempt to weaken protections for Tasmanian women, LGBTIQ people, Aboriginal people, ethnic and religious minorities and people with disabilities.
Ms Webb said she was pleased the Legislative Council had shown leadership and compassion in defending “our exemplary state law from being eroded”.
“The proposed federal bill poses a direct threat – it risks making our state law unworkable and will leave a range of vulnerable Tasmanians less protected.”
Ms Webb said she wanted the State Government to “take action to strongly defend Tasmania’s state sovereignty and right to best protect its citizens”.
“Instead of targeting Tasmania’s anti-discrimination laws, the federal government would do well to emulate them,” she said.
Former Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Robin Banks and Equality Tasmania applauded the Legislative Council’s support for Ms Webb’s motion.
Ms Banks is in Canberra to lobby Tasmanian MHRs and senators on behalf of 12 community organisations who do not support the proposed federal laws.
“This diverse group does not want to see Tasmania’s laws watered down,” she said.
She was pleased at Tuesday night’s Legislative Council vote.
“It was a good outcome but it’s not surprising,” Ms Banks said.
“It is the third such vote in support of our anti-discrimination act in recent times. “It has been a consistent view.”
Equality Tasmania spokesperson, Charlie Burton, said the vote send a strong message to the federal government not to “meddle with Tasmania’s human rights protections”.
“The Legislative Council’s vote shows there is strong support for our state’s existing laws and increases the pressure on the State Government to oppose the federal override,” Ms Burton said.
Ms Webb’s motion expressed concern that the federal laws would “appear to allow bullying and abusive statements in the workplace, and in the classroom, and discrimination in the provision of health care and in the provision of other services”.
It also called on the state government to consult with Tasmanians who may be “negatively impacted by the proposed bill”.
Sue Bailey | The Examiner | October 16, 2019
