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Proposed religious anti-discrimination laws to heighten bigotry in business, lawyer says
A Melbourne-based employment lawyer says plans to safeguard religious freedom through the introduction of new laws have the potential to alienate minority groups should these laws come into effect.
Emma Musgrave
McDonald Murholme managing director Alan McDonald says Attorney-General Christian Porter’s plans to introduce a religious freedom act will create challenges within Australian businesses, noting that such laws will be difficult for employers to navigate.
“Allowing people to sue others, alleging religious discrimination in an otherwise tolerant society, could create first-world litigation to solve a first-world problem.
“Too often, an organised religion can harbour undesirable bigotry, which we may not want to protect through preventing others exercising well-founded and discerning discrimination against bigotry.
“Litigation is generally a luxury for the well-off, so the less well-off are not to be fooled into wanting to cause outrage about potentially bigoted matters.”
Furthermore, Mr McDonald said there is already legislation in place to protect religious freedom, at least in the workplace.
“The Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) already provides very strong protections against religious discrimination, where it matters most, the workplace, where people need to earn a living,” he said.
“The General Protections under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) is already under threat by the Australian Mines and Metals Association as proposed by its chief executive, Steve Knott.”
Emma Musgrave
Emma Musgrave (née Ryan) is the managing editor, professional services at Momentum Media.
Emma has worked for Momentum Media since 2015, including five years spent as the editor of the company's legal brand - Lawyers Weekly. Throughout her time at Momentum, she has been responsible for breaking some of the biggest stories in corporate Australia. In addition, she has produced exclusive multimedia and event content related to the company's respective brands and audiences.
Prior to joining Momentum Media, Emma worked in breakfast radio, delivering news to the Central West region of NSW, before taking on a radio journalist role at Southern Cross Austereo, based in Townsville, North Queensland.
She holds a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) degree from Charles Sturt University.
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