Ian Thorpe has visited MPs at Parliament House to lobby against the Government’s religious discrimination bill, saying it goes against the Australian notion of a “fair go” and will divide the country.
The Olympian joined a campaign by Equality Australia to speak against the controversial proposed legislation, which has been through two iterations after broad criticism from both religious and LGBT groups.
The bill, which the Government said aimed to protect the freedom to practice religion, would allow medical workers to object to carrying out procedures against their faith and permit hospitals and aged care providers to hire people based on their faith.
Mr Thorpe said the bill would “discriminate against young and old”.
“It will discriminate against people based on their gender, it will also restrict people’s ability and access to be able to use our hospital services, our schools, and it will have a huge impact on the LGBTIQ community in particular,” he said.
“I believe in an Australia that has a sense of a fair go and this bill most certainly doesn’t do that.
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