For release 22nd March 2024
The Australian Christian Higher Education Alliance (ACHEA) has expressed dismay and alarm at the recommendations of the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) report which recommends removing protections to around the ability to employ staff who uphold the beliefs and ethos of their member institutions.
Mr Nick Jensen, Political liaison and spokesperson for ACHEA, had this to say on the report:
"Our higher education institutions are not only places of academic learning, but also communities of faith seeking understanding. This means that all our education is done in the context of nurturing spiritual life and formation, servant leadership, and a continuance of historical tradition - all within a Judeo-Christian framework."
"The proposed ALRC changes would, however, make our communities untenable as mission-based institutions. If implemented, it would also undermine Australia's commitment to international law and covenants which recognise the importance of religious communities to be able to teach and practice their beliefs."
"If the Albanese Government is serious about genuine diversity in Australia – that is diversity of culture, intellectual perspective, and educational pathways – then this report should be rejected out of hand."
"We note that throughout this entire process, no member of the Government or ALRC stepped foot on the campus of a faith-based higher educational institution to talk to our staff and students to see what our community's needs are on the ground. We would therefore invite the government, and the opposition, to work with us to develop its own proposals and uphold the election commitments around protections for religious people and institutions."
