ࡱ> }|%` 0t+bjbj"x"x <2@@I#*TTTTTTTTZVZVZV8V V TVVVVVXXX*,,,,,,$eh͒hPTZXXZZPTTVVHe>]>]>]ZTVTV*>]Z*>]>]އ@TTBVV pvZV[8*{0V5v\j5pBB\5TXXr>]&Y\YNXXXPP\^XXXZZZZTTT6V$TTT6VTTTTTTTTT Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission on the important issue of freedom of religion and belief. I have not used the Submission Template but wish to comment on the Discussion Paper in my own format.The main points ofmy submissionare as follows:-- 1. The Commonwealth should not legislate in respect of proposed Religious Freedom Act. In particular it should not legislate in respect of religious vilification. Freedom of religion and belief is better served by an absence of such lawsas theymay introduce a regime of oppressive censorship andhave the effect ofunduly hindering and restrictingthe freedom of legitimate religious expression. Religious vilification laws would be actually counter productive in terms of promoting religious tolerance. 2. Acts of violence/terrorism and incitement or conspiracy to commit acts of violence/terrorism which may be motivated by religious belief, should be dealt with under the general criminal law. The Australian community is entitled to expect that Governments will take strong and effective actiontomaintainpublic order and public safety. 3.HREOC should undertake community education including dialogue with faith communities in support of Article 18 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights[UDHR], with particular emphasis on the right of all Australians, regardless of their ethno-religious background ,to change their religion or belief and to adopt a religion or belief of their choice. Article 18 of the UDHR approved by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 states: "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching practice worship and observance." During discussions of Article 18 at the U.N. in 1966 Saudi Arabia and Egypt wanted to suppress the clause guaranteeing the freedom to change one's religion. Finally a compromise amendment to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights [ ICCPR] was adopted to placate Islamic countries. Thus the "freedom to change his religion or belief" was replaced by "the freedom to have or adopt a religion or belief of his choice." Islamic Sharia Law clearly forbids Muslims from abandoning Islam. Apostacy [ leaving lslam] is not only a sin but also a crime punishable by death. The penalty prescribed for female apostates is life imprisonment. Sharia Law is applied today in many Islamic countries. The rule that a person should be executed or suffer other draconian penalties over a question of religious belief reveals the enormous gap that exists between the mentalities of Islamic countries and the modern philosophy of human rights. Australia has had for a number of years, a large intake of immigrants from Islamic countries. Hence the need to emphasise by way of community education and dialogue in Australia the principle of freedom of religion including the right of every individual to change his or her religion and to do so without fear of violence or intimidation. HREOC's 1998 Report lists at recommendation R2.3what should be covered in respect ofthe "full range" of rights and freedoms to be included a federal Religious Freedom Act, yet fails to specifically mention the right/freedom to change one's religion or belief. RELIGIOUS VILIFICATION Recommendations R5.3 and R5.4 of the 1998 Report propose a law proscribing the "advocacy of religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence". The process and remedies to be civil remedies similar to those provided in Racial Discrimination Act. These recommendations would introduce an oppressive regime of religious censorship. Even expression of legitimate opinions on religious matterswould likely be unduly hindered and restricted. No distinction is made in above recommendations between advocacy done in public or private and no allowance is made for acts done reasonably and in good faith for a genuine "religious" purpose. Further, the test to be applied would be the subjective test under the Racial Discrimination Act as to whether a complainant was offended or insulted by the conduct alleged. Further, secular Courts and Tribunals would be placed in the unenviable position of having to adjudicate on questions of religious doctrine and to assess the theological propriety of the conduct alleged. Further, no distinction is drawn between hatred of beliefs and hatred of adherents to beliefs. The meaning and scope of religious vilification laws is so uncertain that there is likely to be considerable fear and confusion in the community. The boundaries of such laws may vary according to the different interpretations applied by the Courts. In practice there would bevery significant collateral damage to religious freedom. Individuals and organisationswould exercise self censorship and avoid making any criticisms of religion or belief for fear of being the subject of a complaint and subsequent litigation. The possibility of a lawsuit may intimidate religious leaders of whatever faith from teaching what they believe their faith requires or from expressing a point of view which might offend others. The penalties which may be applied in respect of a complaint include orders for damages and legal costs. The punishment imposed by religious vilification laws however does not lie only in penalties imposed by courts or tribunals but also in the necessity to defend oneself from claims that the law has been breached. The cost of defending such cases and employing an appropriately qualified legal team can run into hundreds of thousands of dollars, far beyond the means of small religious communities and organisations. Because of the costs associated with litigation and its stress and unpredictability the threat of litigation is a dangerous weapon even if it is unlikely to be successful. Even where a complaint is so unmeritorious as to be summarily dismissed, an individual or organisationmaybe put toconsiderable expense in terms of both time and money and stress.[ See Article by Professor Peter Parkinson Australian Law Journal December 2007 on Religious vilification, anti-discrimination laws and religious minorities in Australia: The freedom to be different.] The Victorian Parliament has passed the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001, which prohibits religious vilification. The conduct impugned is to "incite hatred against, serious contempt for or revulsion or severe ridicule of " another person or class of persons on the grounds of their religious belief or activity. The meaning ofthe relevant sections of the Actweregrappled within the Supreme Court of Victoria Court of Appeal in the case of Catch the Fire Ministries Inc. v. Islamic Council of Victoria [ 14 December 2006]. The Appeal was from a decision of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.[VCAT]. The original complaint in Catch the Fire Ministries arose from a Seminar on Islam presented by a pastor of a Christiangroup in Melbourne in 2002. The group's aims and that of the Seminar includedevangelisingMuslims and seeking to convert them to Christianity. Three converts to Islam attended the Seminar and then lodged a complaint alleging that it incited hatred against Muslims. The Islamic Council of Victoria also became involved in the case. The complaint also extended to material published on Catch the Fire Ministries website. It is not surprising, given Islam's attitude to apostacy, that the Islamic Council of Victoria should seek to use the religious vilification laws to attack a christian group whose stated aim is to evangelise Muslims. The Court of Appeal allowed the Appeal and held that VCAT had erred at law in a number of respects. The Court however held that a person may be liable for "inciting hatred" whether or not he or she had the intention to do so. Motive is only relevant in terms of defence of "good faith", but good faith of itself is not sufficient to ground asuccessful defence. Furthermorethe impugned conduct is not limited to actual incitement but includes conduct that appears likely to stimulate hatred, serious contempt or severe ridicule. Thus thelaw in Victoria is that one can "incite hatred" without either the intention of doing so or the effect of doing so. The damage which religious vilification lawsuits can cause to community perceptions was well described by Morris J.President of VCAT in subsequent case of Fletcher v Salvation Army :-- "Publicity about unmeritorious vilification claims can undermine the intentions of the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act....Once the genie is out of the bottle[ in the sense that there is widespread publicity that a colourful but hopeless claim hasbeen made], it is hard to put it back [ that is to explain that the claim did not succeed]." Thank you again for the opportunity to make this submission. Tim Tunbridge      PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 3 H+I+J+L+M+O+P+R+S+U+V+m+n+o+p+r+s+t+heh*X;mHnHu h_hejh_heUhajhaUhuh*^Jhuhu^JI+K+L+N+O+Q+R+T+U+q+r+s+t+gd@0gdqgdmLgd*X; I+s+:&P 1h:pqBP. A!"#n$n% xxxp0  0 P@P *Normal  CJOJQJ_HaJmH sH tH P@P ' Heading 1$$ & Fh@&5CJ\aJL@L ' Heading 2  & F@&6B*\aJphL@!L ' Heading 3  & F@&5B*CJ\phB@1B ' Heading 4  & F@& 6\]NN mL Heading 5$$@&B*OJQJph$?`TT mL Heading 6$$@&6B*OJQJ]ph$?`TT mL Heading 7$$@&6B*OJQJ]ph@@@VV mL Heading 8$$@&B*CJOJQJaJph@@@\ \ mL Heading 9 $$@&6B*CJOJQJ]aJph@@@DA@D Default Paragraph FontRiR 0 Table Normal4 l4a (k( 0No List dOd 'Heading 1 Char Char&5CJOJQJ\_HaJmH sH tH nOn 'Heading 2 Char Char/56B*CJOJQJ_HaJmH phsH tH dOd 'Heading 3 Char Char&6CJOJQJ\_HaJmH sH tH bO!b 'Heading 4 Char Char#CJOJQJ]_HaJmH sH tH *W1* ] Strong5\XAX mL Char Char7)B*CJOJQJ_HaJmH ph$?`sH tH ^Q^ mL Char Char6/6B*CJOJQJ]_HaJmH ph$?`sH tH ^a^ mL Char Char5/6B*CJOJQJ]_HaJmH ph@@@sH tH PqP mL Char Char4!B*OJQJ_HmH ph@@@sH tH VV  mL Char Char3'6B*OJQJ]_HmH ph@@@sH tH FF ]Header$ B#a$CJ>> ] Char Char2CJOJQJaJB @B ]0Footer$ B#a$CJ>> ]0 Char Char1CJOJQJaJTT'pTOC 30^`06PJ^JmHnHuBB 4]0Placeholder Text B*phFGF _List Continue 4lx^l<m<TY1 / 1.1 / 1.1.1 F FF 'pTOC 1! d# 0^`05DD 'pTOC 2"0^`056VV*pTOC 4%# d# 0^`0 mHnHu6UA6 ~U$0 Hyperlink >*B*phJJ ^]rp TOC Heading%5CJmH sH tH D+bD 'op Endnote Text &CJaJDOqD &op Char CharOJQJ_HmH sH tH J*J LEndnote ReferenceCJH*OJQJ0l0TY 1 / a / i) F @n@TYArticle / Section* F DTD TY Block Text+x]^2B2 TY Body Text,x<P< TY Body Text 2 -dx>Q> TY Body Text 3.xCJaJPMP TYBody Text First Indent /`HCH TYBody Text Indent0x^TNT TYBody Text First Indent 2 1`RR"R TYBody Text Indent 22dx^TS2T TYBody Text Indent 33x^CJaJ2?B2 TYClosing 4^$L$ TYDate5<[b< TYE-mail Signature6.Xq. TYEmphasis6]h$h Envelope Address)8@ &+D/^@ ^JF%F TYEnvelope Return9 CJ^JaJL&L LFootnote ReferenceCJH*OJQJFF op Footnote Text ;CJaJ0_0 TY HTML Acronym:`: TY HTML Address=6]0a0 TY HTML Cite6]>b> TY HTML CodeCJOJQJ^JaJ<c< TYHTML Definition6]FdF TY HTML KeyboardCJOJQJ^JaJRe"R TYHTML PreformattedBCJOJQJ^JaJ:f1: TY HTML Sample OJQJ^JJgAJ TYHTML TypewriterCJOJQJ^JaJ8hQ8 TY HTML Variable6].(a. TY Line Number4/r4 TYListG^`828 TYList 2H6^6`838 TYList 3IQ^Q`848 TYList 4Jl^l`858 TYList 5K^`::LStyle NumberedL F>6> TY List Bullet 2 M & F>7> TY List Bullet 3 N & F>8> TY List Bullet 4 O & F>9> TY List Bullet 5 P & FBDB TY List ContinueQx^FE"F TYList Continue 2R6x^6FF2F TYList Continue 3SQx^QFHBF TYList Continue 5Tx^:1R: TY List Number U & F>:b> TY List Number 2 V & F >;r> TY List Number 3 W & F ><> TY List Number 4 X & F>=> TY List Number 5 Y & FI TYMessage HeadergZn$d%d&d'd-DM NOPQ^n`^J<^< TY Normal (Web)[OJQJ>> TY Normal Indent \^4O4 TY Note Heading].). TY Page NumberDZD TY Plain Text_CJOJQJ^JaJ0K0 TY Salutation`6@6 TY Signature a^>J"> TYSubtitleb$<@&a$^J3 TYTable 3D effects 1m:Vcj#j#j#j#j.j.j.j. c55\5B* \`J phB* `J ph:C: TYTable 3D effects 2:Vdj.@j#j9jj 4d5\5\xSx TYTable 3D effects 3:Vej.@j j j#j9jj44e:B*`Jph B*`Jph5\5\frcf TYTable Classic 1:Vf0  j#j#j#jj f9B*`Jph6]5\56\]ss TYTable Classic 2#:Vg0  j% j#j0 jjj%  g:5\B*`JphB* `J ph5\XtX TYTable Classic 3:Vh0    jj0  j0  hQB* ph5B*\`JphB* `J ph56B*\]`Jphu TYTable Classic 4:Vi0  jj0 j0 jj iX5\B* `J ph56B*\]`JphB* `J ph5\VvV TYTable Colorful 1:Vj0    j% j% jj%  j<B*ph56\]56\]56\]XwX TYTable Colorful 2:Vk0 j% jj0  j k@56\]56B*\]`Jph56\]8x8 TYTable Colorful 3:Vl0j;$ j0 j%  l5B*\`Jphy TYTable Columns 1 :Vm0    j j jjjj#jj4ml5\B*`Jph B*`Jph5\5\5\5\5\5\z TYTable Columns 2:Vnj j jjjj% jj4n5\B*`Jph B*`Jph5\5B*\`Jph5\B*`Jph5\5\{ TYTable Columns 3:Vo0j j jjj#j% j4oh5\B*`Jph B*`Jph5\5\5\B*`Jph5\| TYTable Columns 4:Vpj j jjj% 4pLB*`Jph B*`Jph5\5\B*`Jphd}d TYTable Columns 5:Vq0    j jjj#j#4qVB*`Jph B*`Jph5\5\5\56\]4#4 TYTable Contemporary:Vr0j%@ j% j% 4r<@B*`JphB*`Jph5B*\`Jph3 TY Table Elegant_:Vs0j s;B*`JphnCn TY Table Grid7:Vt0t~S TY Table Grid 1z:Vu0jj u6]6]"c" TY Table Grid 2:Vv0jjj#j v,5\5\5\5\s TY Table Grid 3:Vw0  jjj0  w5\5\BB TY Table Grid 4:Vx0  jj0 j0  xB5B*\`Jph5B*\`JphB*`Jph   TY Table Grid 5:Vy0    jjj# j y5\5\(( TY Table Grid 6:Vz0    jj#j#j z(5\B*`Jph5\NN TY Table Grid 7:V{0    jjj#j# j {25\5\5\5\5\$$ TY Table Grid 8:V|0jjj%  |H5B*\`Jph5B*\`Jph5B*\`Jphzz TY Table List 1:V}0  j%@ jj#j0 j4}M@B*`JphB*`Jph56B* \]`J ph5\tt TY Table List 2:V~0 j%@ jj#j0 j4~G@B*`JphB*`Jph5B*\`Jph5\ TY Table List 3:V0  j# j# j 05B* \`J ph6B* ]`J ph TY Table List 4w:V0    j0   5B*\`Jph TY Table List 5:V0jj#  5\5\ #  TY Table List 6:V0j%@ j# j#  45\5\3 TY Table List 7:V0  j%@ j% jjj# j0  4>@B*`Jph5\5\5\5\C TY Table List 8:V0j%@ j% jjj#j0 4D@B*`Jph5\5\5\56\]S TYTable Professionall:V0j%  5B*\`Jphoc TYTable Simple 1:V0  j#j# vpsv TYTable Simple 2:Vj#j# j#j# j#j#O5\5\5B*\`Jph5\5\5\q TYTable Simple 3l:V0    j%  5B*\`Jphtt TYTable Subtle 1 :Vj0@ j# j# j0  j. jj45\5\tt TYTable Subtle 2:V0j0  j0  j# j# jj5\5\pp TY Table Theme7:V0 TY Table Web 1h:V03j B*`Jph TY Table Web 2h:V03j B*`Jph TY Table Web 3h:V03j B*`JphN>N TYTitle$<@&a$5CJ KH\^JaJ FV F TYFollowedHyperlink >*B* ph:0 :  List Bullet & F" 'Contact detailsC$$ & 6m I %\d.1$7$8$H$CJOJQJ^J_H mH sH R1 R E Char Char9&6CJOJQJ\_HaJmH sH tH PA P E Char Char8#CJOJQJ]_HaJmH sH tH FQ F E Char CharOJQJ^J_HmH sH tH Ta T ;opFootnote Text CharOJQJ_HmH sH tH t#2I#K#L#N#O#Q#R#T#U#q#r#u#0@0X00@0X00@0X00@0X00@0@0X000u#@0 ))),t+t+s+ $&,!T  # @ 0(  B S  ?H0(   wf}|!xf}yf}zf} {f}L|f}}f}~f} f}Lf}f}ls w w u#     u# 8*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagsCity9 *urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagsplaceB *urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagscountry-region9*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagsState wu   5 = H M !H#H#I#I#K#K#L#L#N#O#Q#R#T#U#p#r#u#LZZa6=> G $$RT!:#H#H#I#I#K#K#L#L#N#O#Q#R#T#U#p#r#u#333333333333:#H#H#I#I#K#K#L#L#N#O#Q#R#T#U#r#u#H#I#I#K#K#L#L#N#O#Q#R#T#U#r#u#|0NY}Z6oX~XUWV1P2OVVN򆜯MUYT}~6V|7  90 `!# x) u1 14P/> EH&?  oF F J v"CN q;OoSCcFQtN}^`.^`.^`.^`. ^`OJQJo( ^`OJQJo( ^`OJQJo( ^`OJQJo(hh^h`. hh^h`OJQJo(h ^`hH.h ^`hH.h pLp^p`LhH.h @ @ ^@ `hH.h ^`hH.h L^`LhH.h ^`hH.h ^`hH.h PLP^P`LhH. hh^h`hH) ^`hH) 88^8`hH) ^`hH() ^`hH() pp^p`hH()   ^ `hH. @ @ ^@ `hH.   ^ `hH. hh^h`hH) ^`hH) 88^8`hH) ^`hH() ^`hH() pp^p`hH()   ^ `hH. @ @ ^@ `hH.   ^ `hH. ^`hH Article . ^`hH Section . P^`PhH() `p`^``phH() P^`PhH) P^`PhH) ^`hH) P^`PhH. 0p0^0`phH. SS^S`o(hH SS^S`o(hH.SS^S`56CJOJQJo(hH() SS^S`o(hH() ^`o(hH .... ^`o(hH ..... ^`o(hH ......  `^``o(hH.......  00^0`o(hH........ hh^h`hH) ^`hH) 88^8`hH) ^`hH() ^`hH() pp^p`hH()   ^ `hH. @ @ ^@ `hH.   ^ `hH. ^`hH. ^`hH. pp^p`hH. @ @ ^@ `hH. ^`hH. ^`hH. ^`hH. ^`hH. PP^P`hH. hh^h`hH) ^`hH) 88^8`hH) ^`hH() ^`hH() pp^p`hH()   ^ `hH. @ @ ^@ `hH.   ^ `hH. hh^h`hH) ^`hH) 88^8`hH) ^`hH() ^`hH() pp^p`hH()   ^ `hH. @ @ ^@ `hH.   ^ `hH. hh^h`hH) ^`hH) 88^8`hH) ^`hH() ^`hH() pp^p`hH()   ^ `hH. @ @ ^@ `hH.   ^ `hH.^`CJOJQJhH.h ^`hH.h pLp^p`LhH.h @ @ ^@ `hH.h ^`hH.h L^`LhH.h ^`hH.h ^`hH.h PLP^P`LhH. hh^h`hH. P^`PhH.. ^`hH... xp^`xhH....  ^`hH .....  X ^ `XhH ......  ^ `hH.......  8^`8hH........  `^``hH......... ^`hH. ^`hH. pp^p`hH. @ @ ^@ `hH. ^`hH. ^`hH. ^`hH. ^`hH. PP^P`hH.88^8`OJQJo(hH ^`hH. pp^p`hH. @ @ ^@ `hH. ^`hH. ^`hH. ^`hH. ^`hH. PP^P`hH.hh^h`^Jo(hH. ^`hH. pLp^p`LhH. @ @ ^@ `hH. ^`hH. L^`LhH. ^`hH. ^`hH. PLP^P`LhH.}|~"CN/>`!F Jx)}tN}x)_ u1 oFEH&?9014_ q;O4_ SCc_ |7 SCc500CTt00S0Us0PS0Us0PRS0Us0P                                    lh        J"Uf-n>;F[>v]EK%r2yL] wf*@gF]SE+#~U$'@01*I1l1*X; ?L-Fc@GSO(KP@5QLU4]E__cikj^mopwp^]r wTw@}f~4d~%$*W=`=_r/lSW_azV/n@U;'64jw-.Sf-&yve[q9Oux qv\s//FO(TY]mL\nY.X@H#H#+uH#H#t#@UnknownGz Times New Roman5Symbol3& z Arial7K@CambriaG5  hMS Mincho-3 fg?5 z Courier NewCMArialMTArial"1h{ц{цD@D@nx4d7#7# 2qHX u21Cassandra DawesCassandra Dawesp         *   )  L    Oh+'0|  8 D P\dlt1Cassandra Dawes Normal.dotCassandra Dawes2Microsoft Office Word@@v@vD՜.+,0 hp  $鱨վ@7#' 1 Title  !#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijkmnopqrsuvwxyz{~Root Entry FrvData 1Table"WordDocument<2SummaryInformation(lDocumentSummaryInformation8tCompObjq  FMicrosoft Office Word Document MSWordDocWord.Document.89q