Religious sensibilities

Attorney-General George Brandis defends the burqa and wins a standing ovation from Labor and The Greens:

“I would caution you and counsel you, Senator Hanson, with respect, to be very, very careful of the offence you may do to the religious sensibilities of other Australians … it is absolutely consistent with being a good, law-abiding Australian and a strict, adherent Muslim”

George Brandis won’t be gulled into discussing respect for the religious sensibilities of those who disapprove of same-sex marriage:

“What I am not going to do is be tricked by Tony Abbott and others who are trying to trying to turn a debate about one issue, that is about whether same-sex couples should be able to marry, into a broader debate about religious freedom because that is not what this is about.”

As quoted in The Australian, Senator Brandis assures readers religious liberty is and will remain adequately protected. Others, though, aren’t so sure, as Greg Walsh demonstrates in his adjacent essay calling for specific protections to be spelled out before a vote is taken. Without such measures, well, just follow the link below to read of one legal theorist’s rather gleefully laying out of the argument that “human rights” can be made to trump religious freedom.

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