Submission to Ruddock Panel

The Australian Law Reform Commission, in its Report on Traditional Rights and Freedoms, concluded that: “Australians enjoy the freedom to worship and observe religion, and the freedom not to be coerced into engaging in religious practices.” The ALRC report also notes that a tension exists in relation to the intersection between religious freedom and anti-discrimination law. The Chair’s Foreword to the interim report of the current Senate Committee Inquiry on Religious Freedom (the Fawcett Inquiry) also echoes this concern.