Say a little prayer
Victorian voters have vehemently rejected their government’s proposal to attack religious freedoms.
A simple act of prayer could soon land Victorians in prison.
The state’s march towards authoritarianism has reached alarming new levels with the introduction before parliament of freedom-trampling measures that impinge on religious liberties and parental consent.
The deceptively named Change and Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Bill 2020, which ostensibly bans gay conversion therapy, proposes to criminalise prayer for a person who claims to be of a different gender to the one assigned at birth if the prayer is construed as an attempt to persuade the person to change their mind.
But its blatant violation of religious freedom and parental rights has been overwhelmingly rejected by voters.
Six out of ten (60 per cent of) Victorians aged 18 or over support the right to change their gender including a majority of supporters of every major political party.
But only one in four (25 per cent) think that saying a prayer for a person struggling with gender identity should be a criminal offence while 85 per cent reject the right of the government to control the content of prayers.
The research was conducted by True North Strategy for the Menzies Research Centre’s Faith and Civil Society Project. A representative sample of 500 Victorian residents aged 18+ were surveyed via the Internet in late December, 2020.
The legislation will make it a crime to attempt to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Prohibited acts include “carrying out a religious-based practice, including but not limited to, a prayer-based practice.”
The maximum penalty is 10 years’ imprisonment and a $500,000 fine. The bill also makes a parent liable to prosecution if they object to their child’s declaration of their new gender.
Yet almost nine out of ten parents (88%) say it is important to be able to speak openly and honestly with a close family member under the age of 18 who is considering changing their gender.
Fewer than a quarter (23 per cent) think a child under 18 should be able to take physical steps to change their gender without parental consent.
The Bill was passed by the Victorian Lower House before Christmas. It is due to go before the Upper House in February when its fate is likely to be decided by crossbench independents.
Victorian MPs should have the confidence to throw out these proposals that are rejected by a clear majority of voters across the political spectrum.
While Australians are broadly accepting of individual choices, whether on gender or matters of faith, the proposal to make it illegal to pray for someone is a step way too far for most people.
