Letter to The Editor - Immediate Bipartisan Declaration

to THE AUSTRALIAN
     Coalition MPs such as George Brandis and Christopher Pyne, who are claiming (‘Religious rights threat in state laws’, 24/8) that the coming postal vote is about nothing else than ‘allowing gay couples to wed’, are doing further damage to their party by such an inaccurate, head-in-the-sand approach.
     Sufficient evidence has now come to light, both from overseas experience and analyses of Australian laws, to show that a ‘yes’ vote will lead to a serious diminution of religious freedom in the nation, unless very great care is taken beforehand to adjust and introduce legal protections for adherents of religions and other persons motivated by conscience.
     If the High Court allows the postal vote to proceed, there should be an immediate bipartisan declaration by the PM and Leader of the Opposition that, whatever the result, no change to our marriage law will be legislated until satisfactory protections are in place.
NJ, Belgrave, Vic