Northern Territory Christian Schools are rallying to scuttle proposed LGBTQ lawfare legislation.
The pro-BLM LGBTQ+ nail in the coffin for free speech and religious freedom is set to force Christian organisations in the territory to hire staff regardless of an individual’s suitability for the role.
Caldron Pool broke news about the under-reported proposals last week noting, Clause 15 and 17 of the NT’s 1992 anti-discrimination act, which was put forward by NT Labor Attorney-General, and LGBTQ+ activist, Chanston Paech, is set to destroy religious freedom by removing ‘exemptions for religious bodies in the areas of education, work, and accommodation.’ (See here.)
Additionally, Paech’s LGBTQ lawfare rips away protections for freedom of speech by way of 20A subsection 3, which will ban any public behaviour perceived to be offensive.
Section 3 allows the leftist Government to police an offensive act, defined as:
“The humiliation or intimidation of another person or a group of people; and done because of an attribute of the other person or of some or all of the people in the group.”
NT Labor’s definition of an offensive act includes:
“Causes, words, sounds, images or writing communicated in public or done in a public place; or is done in the sight or hearing of people who are in a public place.”
Despite Paech and his supporters preaching from the woke wall of double standards by politicising phobias to humiliate, intimidate, and malign Christian organisations, in particular Christian parents, the NT Labor Attorney General is pushing ahead with the proposals.
Of importance, Paech has the support of the NT/Queensland teacher’s union, who, claiming to speak on behalf of its members, cheered on religious schools being stripped of their civil liberties, stating:
“Our union sees the introduction of the proposed Bill as a significant step towards fostering inclusion and we welcome [it!]”
In response to the lawfare, the Australian Association of Christian Schools (AACS) is asking the Northern Territory government to ‘vote against, or amend, clauses 9, 11, 15, 17, 18 and 27 of the Anti-Discrimination Amendment Bill 2022.’
AACS is appealing for help by way of signing a Change.org petition demanding the NT’s legislative assembly stand up for hard-won classical liberal freedoms, and parental rights.
Adding to Caldron Pool’s exposition last week, the AACS explained that if the LGBTQ lawfare proposals are legislated, Christian organisations face being forced too also:
(a) “implement policies directly contradictory to their religious beliefs;” and (b) “allow ‘representative complaints’ to be made against religious organisations by groups hostile to religion and religious beliefs.”
Comments on the petition were apt, as one example shows:
“I can’t understand why someone who does not have Christian beliefs would want to work in a Christian school. If political parties and football clubs can choose who they want as members, why can’t Christian schools?”
Condemning the clandestine nature of this bill, a newsletter circulating online from NT Christian School’s CEO, Phoebe van Bentum, accused the government of selective hearing:
“The NT Government has not listened to the concerns raised by faith groups during the consultation period and has instead chosen to radically depart from the Draft Bill first circulated in August…”
The CEO added:
“The impact of the currently proposed legislation would weaken religious education in the Territory, and directly impact our ability to provide high quality Christian education, training, and care.”
Bentum encouraged parents to petition, protest local representatives and pass around word about the lethal lawfare legislation.
The Rev. Dr. Peter Barnes, Moderator General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, spoke with Caldron Pool, saying the NT proposals were “yet, another example of coercion;” similar to Victorian Labor’s “gay conversion bill.”
It’s also another example of “the nature of sin,” he said. Once the door is open to sin, more sin is sure to follow.
Criticising the overreach the Moderator General added, “Let Christian Schools be Christian schools.” It’s “big brother, you can’t live with him. You gotta love him. He demands to be loved.”
Sharing his response after the Victorian legislation was passed into law, the Rev. Dr. Barnes stated:
What is the Church to do? Two things come immediately to mind:
The apostle considered himself innocent of the blood of all because he proclaimed the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:26-27). We are obliged before God to preach all that He has revealed to us, whether law or gospel, and to do so in a spirit of love and truth.
There is nothing unique in such legislation. When King Darius exceeded his God-given authority, Daniel did ‘as he had done previously’ (Dan. 6:10).
It is our task to keep on keeping on, to proclaim and to live out so far as we can the gospel of Christ which has been entrusted to us.
May God give us all wisdom and strength in Christ.
You can sign the petition here: Protect religious freedom and parental rights in the NT!
