Expert religious liberty litigator Luke Goodrich provides a compelling account […]

As lawyer and author Luke Goodrich observes in his new book 'Free to Believe', rights are not gifts of the government to be granted or removed at the whim of politicians and judges. Rather, the State is morally obliged to defend them with vigour, rather than merely indulging them

The claim that current laws permit discrimination must be balanced by the understanding that international human rights law also protects religion. Any inappropriate regulation of religious schools might therefore violate, rather than uphold, the right to equality

It has been all too easy for politicians to proclaim an urgent mission to protect gay and transgender students and teachers by demanding laws that specifically permit such discrimination be immediately repealed. Trouble is, good intentions can be treacherous when pursued without reflection

Any attempt to introduce same-sex marriage must respect conscientious objections. Liberals, whose party is pledged to defend 'freedom of thought, worship, speech and association', have been derelict in not revealing the specific legislation they propose should the Yes campaign succeed

Any attempt to introduce same-sex marriage is obliged to respect those with conscientious objections. To dismiss concerns for the inevitable lawfare against florists, bakers and ministers as "a trick", to use George Brandis' words, denigrates freedom of thought, worship, speech and association