“When the ACT Assembly passes bad legislation it is a bad day for Canberra, today was a very bad day for Canberra” said Mark Spencer, Director of Public Policy for Christian Schools Australia as the ACT Government and Greens combined to pass the Sexuality and Gender Identity Conversion Practices Bill 2020.
In passing the Bill the ALP and Greens rejected sensible amendments proposed by the Opposition that would have ensured that the Bill reflected what the Government has claimed is the purpose of the Bill.
“The rejection of amendments that would have clearly protected parents, teachers and people of faith across the ACT reinforces concerns about the real purpose of this Bill.” Mr Spencer said.
“The ACT Government and the Greens have passed legislation clearly recognised as flawed without any genuine attempt to fix the Bill and address community concerns.”
“Instead of a Bill addressing coercive or abusive practices which everyone would support we have legislation that could put mums and dads across Canberra in jail.”
“We will be calling on a new Assembly, after October’s election, to urgently fix this law before it comes into operation in March next year.”
“There is still time to get this right,” Mr Spencer said, “we just need MLAs prepared to listen to community concerns and take advice from bodies like the AMA and Law Society.”
“Mums and dads across Canberra need to be asking MLAs and candidates whether they will support parents, families, teachers and people of faith in the next Assembly.”
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