Sex Discrimination and Fair Work Amendment (Equality in Treatment in Religious Schools) Bill 2026

Ms CHANEY (Curtin) (10:21): I second the motion. In some states, including in WA, a religious school can expel a student for being gay or transgender. Religious schools can sack a teacher for getting divorced or for falling pregnant through IVF.

This bill would change that. Across the country, it would remove the exemptions that allow religious schools to discriminate against students and staff because of their sex, sexuality, gender identity, relationship status or pregnancy. Both major parties have promised this change.

In 2018, Prime Minister Morrison said students should not be expelled because of their sexuality. Before the 2022 election, the now prime minister committed to protecting teachers too. In March 2024, the Law Reform Commission set out how to do it.

More than two years later, the government still hasn't acted—which is why the member for Wentworth has, and I thank her for bringing on this bill. This matters to the estimated 70,000 LGBTI students who attend non-government schools in Australia and the 10,000 LGBTI teachers who teach at them. The best teacher my kids ever had is gay, and it horrifies me to think that, at some schools, he could be fired for it.

I've seen young people suffer at religious schools because of their sexuality, with long-term effects. It's hard for schools to send an unambiguous message of support and love with this in the background. Parents no doubt have the best intentions in choosing a school consistent with their own beliefs, and they may not be aware of their own child's sexuality or gender identity when they make that choice.

No parent wants to hurt their child or see them forced to leave their friends and their community. For young people discovering who they are, realising that your school could expel you or reject you for who you are is a painful and formative reality. We have an opportunity to protect young Australians from that experience.

We say that LGBTI people in Australia should have the same rights as everyone else, and this bill takes us a step closer to making it true. Tasmania has had these protections since 1998, the ACT since 2018, Victoria since 2022 and the Northern Territory since 2023. Religious schools there continue to operate according to their faith.

In WA, the WA Law Reform Commission recommended narrowing those exemptions in 2022, and the state government agreed, but we're still waiting. The government has said it will act only with the coalition's support, but this bill follows the Law Reform Commission's advice. We don't need to wait another two years.

Students should be able to go to school as themselves, and teachers should be able to go to work without hiding their families. I commend this bill to the House.