Proposed federal anti-discrimination laws are a threat to fundamental freedoms and could trigger a huge increase in complaints of bias, driving up costs for business and government, NSW Attorney-General Greg Smith has warned, reports The Australian.
He argues the new laws could override exemptions in NSW offered to religious groups and independent schools, forcing them to employ gay or transsexual teachers or priests.
In a strongly worded letter that echoes the concerns of the other two conservative states, Victoria and Western Australia, Mr Smith urges his federal counterpart Nicola Roxon to leave the anti-discrimination regimes of the states intact.
"The consolidated legislation may very considerably increase the regulatory burden and cost to business (and) diminish core democratic freedoms of speech, conscience, religion and association," Mr Smith claims in the letter, which has been provided to The Australian.
He argues the new laws could override exemptions in NSW offered to religious groups and independent schools, forcing them to employ gay or transsexual teachers or priests.
Late last year, Ms Roxon released a discussion paper on the changes, which merge four commonwealth anti-discrimination acts into a single regime.
FULL STORY
Prejudice reforms a 'risk to freedoms' (The Australian)
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