The Coalition quietly put off protecting gay teachers and students at religious schools

The Age is reporting that the Coalition has moved to further delay implementing protection for gay teachers and students at religious schools.

The Australian Law Reform Commission, where the promise was referred to by the government, has cited the ongoing process around the Religious Discrimination Bill as necessitating the delay. "The two are inexorably linked" but apparently not to the extent where protection for gay teachers and students is incorporated into the Religious Discrimination Bill itself.

This is extremely disappointing but unsurprising. The Coalition's entire approach to the Religious Discrimination Bill as been to increase the potential for discrimination on the basis of religious belief rather than balance protections for minorities. The Coalition was forced into considering protections due to pressure from the community and Labor; since then they have seemed very happy for the issue to fall out of the spotlight.