Aussie bishops could face anti-discrimination probe

Friday, October 2nd, 2015

A Green politician has laid a complaint with Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Commissioner over a marriage booklet produced by Australia’s Catholic bishops.

Martine Delaney has asked the commissioner’s office to investigate Hobart Archbishop Julian Porteous and the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.

At issue is the booklet “Don’t Mess with Marriage”, produced by the bishops earlier this year.

The booklet makes it clear that the Church opposes the legalisation of same-sex marriage and explains why it defends legal marriage as being between a man and a woman.

The publication was distributed in June to about 12,000 Tasmanian families whose children attend Catholic schools.

Campaigner Martine Delaney, who is the Greens’ candidate for the federal seat of Franklin, said the booklet could cause “immeasurable harm”.

She told media that the booklet gives “the idea that same-sex attracted people can never have a relationship that is equal to a heterosexual marriage, that they can never be whole as people, that their children can never be complete as people”.

In her complaint, Ms Delaney asked for a public apology from the Archbishop Porteous and the Australian Catholic Bishops.

She also wants the Catholic Church in Tasmania to implement a Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Intersex awareness program for all staff and students within the Catholic education system.

Australia’s government has suggested that a plebiscite will be held on legalising same-sex marriage during the next federal parliament.

Archbishop Porteous said it is important that there be an open and free debate.

“The [booklet] affirms the dignity of all human beings regardless of their physical characteristics, gender or the orientation of their sexual attraction,” he said.

“[It]condemns in the strongest terms any form of unjust discrimination.”

He said some people want Christians prevented from publicly expressing their views on important social issues.

“Increasingly they are trying to manipulate anti-discrimination legislation to achieve this end.

“This represents the rise of a new intolerance against Christianity in Australian society and more generally a threat to freedom of speech.”

Once the Commissioner has investigated a complaint it could be referred onto an Anti-Discrimination Tribunal, which has the power to make orders.

Sources