Voters oppose school prejudice against gay students

A new poll reveals that the majority of Australian voters are united against discrimination towards gay students.

Last week, a leaked recommendation from the Ruddock review suggested that laws allowing religious schools to refuse gay students and teachers be made consistent across Australia.

The reports sparked national outrage and led one Senator to announce a motion that would strip funding from schools that discriminated against students based on their sexuality.

However, a Fairfax-Ipsos survey, released on Sunday night found that 74% of all eligible voters reject laws that would allow schools to discriminate based on a student or teacher’s sexuality, relationship status or gender.

The poll has clear implications for next year’s federal election, which has to be held before 18 May, 2019. Among Coalition voters, a significant 62% reject the laws while 30% support passing them.

Over the weekend, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he would introduce legislation preventing independent schools from such action.

“Our Government does not support expulsion of students from religious non-state schools on the basis of their sexuality,” Morrison said.

“I also know that this view is widely shared by religious schools and communities across the country.”

The Coalition is currently trailing Labor in the two-party preferred vote, 45% to 55%.