A stoush is brewing in the Coalition over plans to strip religious schools of the right to discriminate against LGBTI students, with conservative MPs angry about being kept in the dark on the changes. Prime Minister Scott Morrison is considering a special party room meeting on the issue today after he promised urgent action, following a backlash to leaked recommendations of Philip Ruddock’s religious freedom review. Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Attorney-General Christian Porter.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The bill was slated for debate this parliamentary sitting fortnight, but as of Thursday morning, Attorney-General Christian Porter was still negotiating details with the Labor opposition. That has angered conservative Liberal MPs, who argue they should have been consulted first and fear they will be expected to rubber-stamp legislation agreed with Labor – without knowing the full contents of Mr Ruddock’s review. Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, who has discussed her concerns with colleagues, said the report should be made public immediately. "It is important to ensure the interests of the child are paramount," she told Fairfax Media. Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells.Credit:Dominic Lorrimer "Therefore, the Ruddock report should be released to understand the context of [the] existing law and international frameworks relevant to freedom of […]
