Before the release of the Government's draft religious discrimination bill Liberal backbencher Trent Zimmerman claimed Australia lacked a law that prohibited discrimination against someone because of their religious beliefs, and that Australians did not have any such protection in place. Is that correct? RMIT ABC Fact Check investigated and found there's more to the story than Mr Zimmerman's claim suggests. Legal experts told Fact Check that while Australia had no stand-alone religious anti-discrimination law, a piecemeal legal framework did exist. Mr Zimmerman is correct to say that Australia does not have "a law", as in a stand-alone religious anti-discrimination law, similar to federal laws that protect against discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, age and disability. However, he is incorrect to say, "there is currently not that protection in place that says you cannot discriminate against someone because of what they believe in". There is, in fact, a patchwork of federal and state laws that provides protection across the country, albeit weak protection in New South Wales and South Australia. Unlike other states and territories, NSW and SA do not have legislation that specifically prohibits discrimination on the basis of religious belief. Furthermore, Australia has obligations under international law, and under its constitution, to protect the right to freedom of religion and belief.
Verdict: More to the story