Australia news LIVE: Religious discrimination bill debate dominates Parliament; total COVID-19 cases continue to grow across the nation
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Key posts
- Prime Minister, step into my son’s heels: Labor MP
- PM pressures moderates as Liberal party room backs religious laws
- This morning’s headlines at a glance
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Prime Minister, step into my son’s heels: Labor MP
Federal Labor frontbencher Stephen Jones has revealed the suicide of his gay nephew and fears for his own high-heel wearing son’s safety in a powerful intervention during debate on the proposed Religious Discrimination Bill.
The revelations made by the opposition frontbencher in Parliament last night put pressure on Labor to formally oppose the government’s proposed changes.
Labor federal MP Stephen Jones.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
The federal government is trying to introduce a new Religious Discrimination Act as well as make changes to the Sex Discrimination Act that would make it illegal to expel gay students from school.
But the proposed changes would still make it lawful for a trans student to be expelled. Attorney-General Michaelia Cash says changing the law to also accommodate for gender identity as opposed to sexual orientation would effectively nullify the ethos of religious single-sex schools.
Read parts of Mr Jones’ speech here.
PM pressures moderates as Liberal party room backs religious laws
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has secured party room support for a contentious religious discrimination bill package despite moderate Liberals’ concerns, forcing Labor to decide whether to back laws that protect gay students from expulsion but not transgender students.
Mr Morrison is pressuring moderate MPs who have indicated they cannot support the bill, warning that the Coalition’s path to the election will be harder if they do not unite on the issue.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned moderate Liberals that the party needs to stay united over religious freedom.Credit:James Brickwood
The Liberal party room signed off on amendments yesterday, even as several backbenchers said they may not support the legislation because it does not do enough to protect transgender students and teachers at faith-based schools.
“My appeal to you is to come together and think about our team,” Mr Morrison told yesterday’s meeting of MPs and Senators.
The PM argued that the government has promised a religious freedom bill and had to honour the policy.
Read the full story here.
This morning’s headlines at a glance
Good morning and thanks for reading our live coverage.
It’s Wednesday, February 9. I’m Broede Carmody and I’ll bring you some of the day’s biggest stories as they unfold.
Here’s what you need to know before we get started.
- Prime Minister Scott Morrison is urging moderate Liberals to support the party’s contentious religious discrimination bill package, arguing the Coalition promised greater religious freedoms at the last election and needs to unite before the next poll (expected in May). Labor is yet to decide whether it will support the draft legislation, which would prevent religious schools from expelling gay students but not transgender students. The government, which holds a narrow majority in the House of Representatives, will likely require the support of Labor to pass the bill given some moderate Liberals – such as Tasmania’s Bridget Archer – and socially progressive members of the crossbench have flagged they will either not support it or are considering their options.
- Former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins and 2021 Australian of the Year Grace Tame will address the National Press Club later today. Their joint speech comes a day after Prime Minister Scott Morrison and other politicians apologised for the treatment of women in Parliament.
- Star Entertainment encouraged its high rollers to claim they lived outside NSW as part of a scheme to minimise the amount of gaming tax the casino giant paid to the state government, Nick McKenzie reports. NSW reported 9690 cases of COVID-19 yesterday and 18 deaths.
- Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says his government is examining how the state might protect transgender students from discrimination if the federal government’s proposed religious freedoms bill is enshrined in law. Victoria reported an additional 9785 cases of coronavirus yesterday and 20 deaths.
- Queensland is expected to officially hit its 90 per cent double-dose vaccination target today. Yesterday, the official fully vaccinated rate for residents aged 16 and up was sitting at 89.97 per cent (although the data is a couple of days behind due to the need to combine state and federal numbers). Queensland recorded 5178 cases of COVID-19 yesterday and 12 deaths.
- And in other news, more witnesses will take the stand in the Northern Territory today in the murder trial of Constable Zachary Rolfe.
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