Kathmandu (Pahichan) June 13 – A federal inquiry into freedom of religion in Australia has been issued a submission that warns religious freedom is being stifled by the rise of LGBTQIA+ rights, euthanasia and abortion laws.<\/p>\n
Family Council of WA, which represents twelve groups including the Australian Christian Lobby, Salvation Army and the Australian Family Association, have submitted a list of\u00a0what they describe as \u201cmajor concerns\u201d regarding proposed laws across the country.<\/p>\n
The submission directly mentions Premier Mark McGowan\u2019s commitment to continue funding the Safe Schools anti-bullying program when federal funding is exhausted, purporting that it pressures students into \u201caccepting homosexuality as normal.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe concept of freedom of religion and belief, of individuals and organisations, has been the basis of Western civilisation for centuries,\u201d\u00a0the Family Council of WA submitted.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese rights are increasingly threatened, even eliminated, by relentless governmental legislative action.\u201d<\/p>\n
The submission also argues that state support of the Safe Schools program are in breach of provisions outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.<\/p>\n
The Public Health Association of Australia have also submitted a report to the same federal inquiry, arguing that this discussion \u201cmust acknowledge the tensions that exist between religion and the rights of women, female children and people of diverse gender and sexuality.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe right to freedom of religion may be limited. It is recommended that discrimination against women, female children and people who are not heteronormative in sexuality or gender be prohibited even where that discrimination is grounded in religious belief,\u201d the Public Health Association\u2019s submission\u00a0states.<\/p>\n