Christian schools are calling on NSW Labor Leader, Chris Minns to urgently provide details on his proposed ban on 'LGBTQ+ conversion practices' and provide guarantees to NSW families.
'Christian schools, like the community generally, abhor the horrific practices of last century done under the guise of medical treatments', said Mark Spencer, Director of Public Policy at Christian Schools Australia, 'we support legislation to plug any loopholes that may allow coercive or abusive treatments.'
NSW Labor in their Media Release this morning, however, used language taken straight from the draconian Victorian legislation that goes far beyond banning those practices, instead impacting families, churches and even community leaders. A year on from the Victorian legislation coming into effect, there is still no clarity around what parents can say to their children about gender and sexuality, what schools can teach in these areas, how churches can pray, and how we can properly care for children and young people searching for certainty regarding their sexuality.
'The NSW Labor Leader needs to clearly and unequivocally reject the Victorian approach', Mr Spencer said, 'the people of NSW don't want another Daniel Andrews telling them what they can say and how they can pray'.
'Promises to establish a working group are not enough', he said.
'The people of NSW need NSW Labor to come out now, before the election, and provide ironclad guarantees that:
- Parents can continue to talk to their children about issues of gender and sexuality without fear of jail,
- Medical practitioners can continue to explore a full range of treatment options for young people dealing with gender incongruence and not be forced down one treatment pathway,
- Schools can continue to teach a Biblical view of gender and sexuality and care for young people consistently with their beliefs,
- People of faith can continue to prayer for others as their faith determines, and
- Those seeking support for unwanted same-sex attraction or be affirmed in their biological sex can receive that support without threat of prosecution.'
'Unless NSW Labor provide these assurances families, schools and faith communities across NSW will be very afraid', Mr Spencer said.
