AUSTRALIA, Feb. 6, 2022 (Press Release, Hindu Council of Australia): A religious freedom bill has been introduced in the federal parliament to make discrimination on the basis of religion illegal. People of faith will not be discriminated against because of their faith or for not having one. However, the bill has created many exemptions. It allows discrimination based on religion by organizations that are inspired by religious ethos, like schools, hospitals, aged care homes, employment agencies, charities etc. Any business that claims to be inspired by religious ethos can fire people who don’t belong to their religion. This bill adversely affects minority religions. It especially affects Hindus and other newly arrived religions who have not had time and resources to establish their own schools, hospitals etc.
The bill permits a business to declare and have a religion. It permits that business to fire its employees who are of the wrong religion and give preference in employment to candidates of its own religion. A large number of Hindus work in schools, hospitals, aged care and other charities run by Christian and other faiths. If this bill is passed, these Hindus can be and are likely to be actively discriminated against. In practice it means that Hindus working in other faith based schools, hospitals etc. can be denied employment and existing staff can be fired. A Hindu living in an aged care service of another religion will only be served by employees of the other religion as they won’t have to hire any Hindu staff.
Hindus do not seek to convert others but that is not the case with many religions. Some non-Hindu faith followers interpret their religion to mean that it is their duty to convert heathens and idolaters (Hindus included) while some interpret it to mean that use of force against non-believers is justified.
This bill may lead to the abhorrent practice of forced conversion of Hindus to other faiths by luring them with jobs, admission of children into schools, treatments in hospitals and care in old age homes. And the Australian Government will continue to fund such religious institutes. Practices listed above violate human rights of Australian Hindus and will adversely affect vulnerable Hindus including new migrants, unemployed, socially disadvantaged and senior citizens needing care. Hindus being treated in a hospital or being cared for in an institute, will not have someone who understands their culture and religious sensitivity. They may be surrounded by people who think that this Hindu is going to hell and must be converted. And the Australian government will be using our taxes to fund such places. Those holding a position of power like teachers, doctors, carers, helpers should not be permitted to do the mission work.
The new bill permits the statement of belief rights. In practice, it means that anyone can insult people of other religions and call them with derogatory names and treat them as lesser human beings than themselves. This should not be permitted. Australia made commendable progress when it replaced its racist Whites only immigration policy. But like a reformed drinker hitting the bottle again, it is now introducing a Bill which will give undue advantage to majority and well established religions at the cost of newly arrived and minority religions. The bill will permit a child to study and then work their entire life in their own religious institutes, never coming in meaningful contact with people of other faiths. We must oppose such an apartheid of teaching, employment and services.
For more information, contact: Surinder Jain, info@hinducouncil.com.au