The Allan Government’s proposed anti-vilification law has already generated fear and prompted self-censorship among the Christian community, as students in the Methodist Ladies College in Kew were told to remove their ‘crosses’ after non-Christian students complained that they are offensive.

Jasmine Yuen, Victorian Director of the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) applauds the courageous student who called out the school’s ‘religious discrimination’ act but said, “Sadly, this is what we foresee will happen under the Allan Government’s anti-vilification law, that has clearly stated in the Overview Paper that “the wearing or display of clothing, signs, flags, emblems and insignia, observable by the public”, including in private property such as schools and workplaces, would amount to vilification if considered offensive by someone.

It is disturbing to see self-censorship is already happening even before the proposed law is drafted into a Bill. A decade-long of Andrews-Allan Government has either imposed political correctness on this church school, or it has successfully instilled fear into this Christian institution under Labor’s anti-Christian laws that force them to self-censor.

Regardless, this is a warning sign of the Allan Government’s anti-vilification law that we have forewarned would see the expression of Christian faith being stifled. It is our fear that not only the ‘cross’ but also the Gospel message of sins and forgiveness would soon be deemed vilification under this law.”

The ACL urges the Allan Government to consider the ramifications the proposed law would have on the Victorian Christian community, and calls on the Government to consult with all Christian stakeholders before introducing an anti-vilification Bill to avoid the elimination of freedom of religion, speech, expression and thought.