Media Release
Friday February 14th 2025
Tasmanian Catholic school authorities have admitted to policies that may breach the state’s Anti-Discrimination Act, drawing criticism from LGBTIQA+ community advocates.
Earlier today, Catholic Education Tasmania and the Archbishop of Hobart, Julian Porteous, admitted to a Tasmanian parliamentary school discrimination inquiry that Catholic schools do not affirm the gender identity of trans and gender diverse students and do not promote gay teachers to senior positions.
In his evidence to the inquiry Equality Tasmania spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said,
“I am very concerned that these policies appear to be in breach of the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Act.”
“The Act makes it very clear that faith-based schools cannot discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity.”
“I am also concerned about the negative impact of these policies on LGBTIQA+ people and school communities.”
“Local and national research shows that not affirming a young person’s gender identity can be disastrous for their mental health, while not promoting staff because they are gay means students and parents aren’t necessarily getting the best teachers for the job.”
Catholic Education Tasmania and Archbishop Porteous said their actions are protected by the federal Sex Discrimination Act because it has an exemption for faith-based schools and federal law overrides state law.
Mr Croome’s response was that the federal exemption does not apply to state law.
“Equality Tasmania will now seek advice from the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Commission about whether Catholic Education Tasmania is acting outside the law and the consequences of that.”
For a copy of this statement on the web, click here
For more information contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668.