Victorian “Conversion Practices” Ban

The Victorian Government have launched an inquiry into the Change and Suppression Practices Act. Rather than being an opportunity to correct the bill’s overreach, the review seems designed to expand it.

This review is one of the few real opportunities to push back on this legislation which is a major threat to religious freedom.

Submissions are due Tuesday March 24th, so please take the time this weekend to lodge your answers to the questions.

If people of faith stay silent, the Commission will mainly hear from those who want the law expanded, enforced more aggressively, and used to further restrict religious speech and ministry. We cannot let that happen.

You can submit your answers to the questions here.

You do not need to answer every question. The two most important questions to respond to are Question 2 and Question 6.

Question 2 asks whether the community understands the Act, what change or suppression practices are, and the harm they cause.

Question 6 asks whether greater clarity is needed about how people of faith can hold and express their beliefs.

For both questions, you could say that you do not understand whether ordinary religious teaching, requested prayer, pastoral care, support for celibacy and even parental conversations are lawful. This uncertainty has created fear, confusion, and self-censorship in churches and families.

The Free Speech Union has also created a tool to help you write and submit answers. This tool is not created or run by Freedom for Faith, however you might find it useful.