The Northern Territory Government has introduced a Bill into the Legislative Assembly that will deprive Territorians of their fundamental human rights under Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. These changes will:

1. Remove protections for religious schools to maintain their religious character by:
             preferencing people of the same religion in employment;
             preferencing families of the same religion in enrolment;
             preferencing people of the same religion in accommodation services;

2. Prohibit ‘offensive conduct’ that may include preaching and the reading of Scripture in public places, including in churches, mosques, temples and schools;

3. Require religious organisations to implement policies directly contradictory to their religious beliefs;

4. Allow ‘representative complaints’ to be made against religious organisations by groups hostile to religion and religious beliefs.

We, the residents of the Northern Territory, express our deep concern at this legislation and implore the Legislative Assembly to vote against, or amend, clauses 9, 11, 15, 17, 18 and 27 of the Anti-Discrimination Amendment Bill 2022.