Australia’s Christian legal rights groups are under investigation by local anti-discrimination commissioners, citing a statement on gender policy made by the National Green Party, group leaders said.
In a July 1st email to supporters entitled “Inspection to cite Green,” Michelle Pierce, CEO of Australia’s Christian Lobby (ACL), outlined a formal investigation by Tasmanian non-discrimination commissioners.
“Free speech in Australia just hit a dangerous new low. We are evidence,” declares Pierce, saying that the “crime” of Christian legal rights groups “will tell voters what politicians have made a promise.”
Before the Australian federal election on May 3, the ACL distributed flyers citing national Green Party policies on gender verbatim, including quotes such as “ensure gender-affirming care is free and publicly accessible.”
The ACL posted an online warning at the end of June. “If citing policies and sharing widely held medical concerns has the basis for the investigation, then freedom of speech in this country is not only under pressure. It’s dangerous.”
Pierce said legal rights groups have tried to raise concerns about irreversible treatment for “disturbed youth” who question gender.
“Because of this, we are accused of being ‘aggressive, humiliating, intimidating, insulting, or ridiculous,'” she said.
After experts raised concerns, she said in Australia that Queensland had “suspended” on such treatments, about Sweden, Finland and the UK halting gender-changing treatments.
“Our Family Court has found that Royal Children’s Hospital is pushing ideology rather than medicine,” Pierce claimed in an email. In April, a judge denounced hospitals for adopting a gender-affirming care model without adequately considering that children are too young to make medical decisions with lifelong results.
“Tasmania, meanwhile, openly bankrolls a festival featuring an inverted cross and a demonic theatre,” Pierce told ACL supporters. An inverted cross was placed around the city of Hobart, Tasmania by the pagan group Dark Mofo.
Pierce noted that “this is not true,” recognised that supporters had won many fights for religious freedom. She called investigations by Tasmanian anti-discrimination commissioners “punishments,” and cited various instances of authorities that cited “punishments” themselves, calling them “patterns,” and countering freedom of expression.
“Jasmine Sussex said, “Men cannot breastfeed.” Results: I was exiled and faced with court,” Pierce wrote. “Dr. Gillian Spencer questioned gender treatment for adolescents. Results: stopped because of transphobia. Lyle Shelton questioned the time of the drug queen story. Results: five years in court.”
Pierce labeled the underlying message of the official as “speak up and pay,” adding that the process itself is a punishment, regardless of the outcome.
Reminiscing supporters that the ACL had previously won a legitimate fight to defend pastors, protect faith-based schools and protect parental rights, she said the precedent set by the investigation “threatening everyone who dares to think.”
“Now we are to cite election policy,” she added, referring to the investigation. “You or your Christian friends could be next. This isn’t the left or right. It’s about whether Australians wonder what is happening in society without facing legal retaliation.”
In his appeal for financial support for the investigation, Pierce wrote: “The Bible reminds us.
Looking at the state of freedom of speech in Australia’s states, Pierce wrote that there is still hope.
“Not all states have fallen,” she declared. “Western Australia (WA) does not have such laws. South Australia (SA) limits them to racial slander. However, Tasmania and Queensland have turned “attacks” into weapons. ”
Tasmania hosts the House of Representatives’ state general election on July 19th, and considers piercings to be a test of freedom rights.
“Tasmania will vote soon,” she wrote. “If we lose, politicians know that everywhere they can shut up critics.”
Robin Sabo, the business services coordinator for the Tasmania office of the Non-Discrimination Commissioner, on behalf of Acting Chairman Pia Saturn, responded to Christian Daily International’s request for comment.
“Because of the confidentiality obligation under the Anti-Discrimination Act (TAS) (ADA) since 1998, it has not been my office practice to comment on my office’s complaints work,” said Satoruno.
However, the Commissioner’s office provided some general information about the complaint process outlined verbatim here.
• Under the ADA, people have the right to file a complaint if they believe they have discriminated against or exposed to other prohibited acts because they have one or more characteristics (“attributes”) protected by the ADA.
• The commissioner must evaluate all complaints received. The Commissioner will accept a complaint for investigation if it indicates a possible violation of the ADA. One of the main roles of a commissioner is to investigate and attempt to resolve complaints through mediation.
• The commissioner will not determine or produce findings that a person has been discriminated against or undergone for other prohibited conduct. If the settlement does not resolve the complaint, the commissioner may refer the complaint to the Tasmanian citizens and the administrative courts (courts). The court will conduct a hearing (an investigation) and prepares the findings of the investigation into whether suspicious conduct has occurred and whether it has violated the ADA.
• The ADA includes many defenses against complaints. In some cases, the committee may dismiss the complaint if the defense is explicitly applied. Otherwise, the court must make this decision after hearing it.
• Information about the complaint process and timeline is provided here with information on discrimination, prohibited actions and attributes under the ADA.
