Federal VET Standrds
In 2024, the Federal Department of Employment and Workplace Relations released draft standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). The standards would apply to all non-government VET training institutions, including many faith-based colleges. Some of these colleges are religious in identity, and others were providing theological and ministry training.
The greatest concern arose with Standard 2.5, related to diversity and inclusion. According to the explanatory materials supplied by the Department, these standards require Registered Training Organisations to create a ‘safe and inclusive learning environment’ for all staff and students, including those of a different culture (thus including those of a differing faith), those who identify as LGBTIQ+, and those whose cultural practices may be inconsistent with our religious beliefs. In addition, the RTO must ‘actively consider how their recruitment policies, training environment, activities and materials, assessment processes, and wellbeing support services are accessible and inclusive’ to students who possess these attributes. Finally, to ensure this, it appears that RTOs are required to establish community stakeholder groups to represent these groups and provide feedback on adherence to the standards.
These Revised Standards effectively required a faith-based RTO to not only enrol students of a different faith or contrary sexual ethic, they must provide an affirming environment, actively review their recruitment policies to permit the inclusion of such students, and permit them to form advocacy groups within the institution to promote their beliefs and identities.
Our Response
Freedom for Faith coordinated a letter from heads of faith to the Minister for Skills and Training. The letter explained the effects of the draft standards on faith-based RTOs, and also pointed out the conflict with the exemptionis written into the Sex Discrimination Act, which protect faith-based education.
You can read the full letter here.
The Minister’s Reply
After further engagement with the Department, the Minister replied to our letter. The reply acknowledged the issues, and provided a full solution. The Minister wrote:
The revised Standards will operate in conjunction with existing laws and do not override them. I can confirm that the explanatory statement to the Outcome Standards legislative instrument will include wording that makes clear that the requirements on Diversity and Inclusion (Standard 2.5) do not alter, impair or detract from the operation of sections 37 and 38 of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984. The explanatory statement is a public facing document that will be available on the Federal Register of Legislation and is used to interpret the revised Standards for RTOs.
To allay the concerns raised in your correspondence, this clarification will also be included in the policy guidance document.
