Equal Opportunity Act Review

The Department of Justice is reviewing the current religious exemptions contained in Victorian Equal Opportunity Legislation to ascertain if they are 'reasonable limitations on the rights to equality'. The current exemptions are very broad - they allow religious bodies to discriminate on grounds such as marital status, lawful sexual activity, and sexual orientation not only in order to comply with religious beliefs but also merely to avoid injury to religious sensitivities. This limitation goes well beyond the protection of religious communities in relation to religious practice and well beyond the law in other jurisdictions. VIEU is seeking removal of the religious exception on the basis that is carte blanche nature is out of step with community attitudes and a disproportional limitation on the competing right of equality.

Click here to read the VIEU submission to this review.

Click here to read the VIEU Committee of Management Resolution.