Fridae

Independent Australian MP Allegra Spender introduced a bill on 12 October aimed at strengthening protections against discrimination for LGBTQ+ students and staff in religious schools.

The Sex Discrimination and Fair Work Amendment (Equality in Treatment in Religious Schools) Bill 2026 is a private member's bill. Parliament's record lists its introduction and first reading on Monday, with the proposal still before the House of Representatives.

It is a proposed change, rather than a protection that took effect today.

Equality Australia welcomed the introduction and urged the federal government to support it. In its 12 October statement, the organisation describes religious-school exemptions that allow discrimination against LGBTQ+ people and people who are pregnant, divorced or in de facto relationships.

Chief executive Anna Brown argued that the issue affects access to education and employment, and called on federal MPs to act. Her expectation that parliamentary support could secure passage is an advocacy position, rather than an outcome already decided.

The organisation's statement also includes an account from former student James Elliot-Watson. He says that, as a teenager at a Christian school in Sydney, he was denied the chance to become a prefect after coming out as gay, told not to tell other people and referred to counselling intended to change his sexuality. He gave that account in Equality Australia’s statement.

An exclusion can concern the opportunities available within a school as well as whether someone is allowed to remain there. Should equal treatment be made as explicit in school leadership opportunities as in enrolment? Explain your view in the comments, keeping the focus on policy rather than identifying people or schools.

The immediate news is the bill's introduction. Its parliamentary progress—and the wording of any amendments—will determine whether the proposed reforms become law.