Déjà vu for LGBTQ students and teachers in religious schools

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ABSTRACT Successive Australian Governments have promised to protect LGBTQ people in religious schools against discrimination, only to break those promises. This includes the Albanese Government, despite their referral of the issue of religious exceptions to the Australian Law Reform Commission for review. The release of the ALRC’s report in March 2024 was met with baseless claims from some religious organisations, rebutted by the experiences of states and territories which already legally protect LGBTQ students and/or teachers. Settlement of a discrimination complaint against Citipointe Christian College in June 2024 reinforces the need for reform in those jurisdictions yet to amend their laws, although the prospects for change in SA, WA, Queensland and NSW are varied. Commonwealth legislation is needed. However, the Albanese Government has not recommitted to protecting LGBTQ students and teachers in the lead-up to the 2025 federal election, while the Dutton Opposition has expressed support for religious organisations seeking to override state and territory protections. Meanwhile, both the ALRC report and research by Equality Australia confirm that mistreatment of LGBTQ students and teachers continues. As well as being victims of discrimination, they are also victims of political failure.