Multi-faith leaders have secured a bipartisan commitment to be able to pray and preach on matters of sexuality under proposed laws banning so-called gay conversion therapy after NSW Labor leader Chris Minns vowed to protect their rights under any new legislation.
Less than one week after extracting the same pledge from Premier Dominic Perrottet, a forum of religious community leaders was assured by Minns that bans on damaging conversion practices would not impinge on their religious freedom.
Gay conversion practices are considered harmful and can range from celibacy support groups to repress same-sex attraction, to faith-based groups referring people to clinicians known to provide psychotherapy, pharmacological and aversion therapies.
“Taking offence at the teachings of a religious leader will not be banned, expressing a religious belief through sermon will not be banned, and an individual, with their own consent, seeking guidance through prayer will not be banned either,” he said on Monday night.
Minns added that any new legislation would focus on protecting young people, insisting he would not transpose legislation that is “too broad” from states like Victoria, but would pursue his own bill.
“We believe that we can thread the needle, if you like, to make sure that young people who are in that position are not damaged as a result.”
Read the article by Lucy Cormack in The Age.