AACS Congratulate Albanese Labor Government

23 May 2022

The Australian Association of Christian Schools (AACS) congratulates Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his team on forming government and being sworn in this morning.

“AACS looks forward to working with the new government to secure the future of Christian schooling in Australia,” said Executive Officer Vanessa Cheng.

We urge the Albanese Labor Government to focus on the following priorities for Christian schools in the first 100 days of office:

• re-introduce standalone religious anti-discrimination legislation that protects the ability of faith-based schools to preference people of faith in employment and overrides state legislation that limits this ability;
• re-commence the Australian Law Reform Commission inquiry into the Framework of Religious Exemptions in Anti-Discrimination Legislation.

These priorities are consistent with the election commitments of the Coalition and should therefore find bipartisan support.

“The ability to preference people of the same faith in employment is of fundamental importance to our schools,” said Mrs Cheng, “to ensure our schools can continue to teach and operate in accordance with their faith.”

“It’s imperative that any religious discrimination bill does not seek to remove the delicate framework of religious exemptions within existing anti-discrimination law. AACS expects the Australian Law Reform Commission’s inquiry to provide recommendations ensuring the appropriate balance between religious freedom and the rights of students and staff.

“People of faith have been patiently waiting for religious freedom protections and we hope that an Albanese Labor Government can succeed in delivering this reform for the nation,” said Mrs Cheng.

“We wish Prime Minister Albanese all the best for his term in office and look forward to working in an open and constructive way with his government to achieve these much-needed reforms for all Australians.”

ENDS

Media contact: 

Vanessa Cheng 
Executive Officer 
vanessa.cheng@aacs.net.au
0416 277 372 

Download Media Release HERE