Open Letter

D

iscrimination is a disgusting situation. No one should ever suffer from discrimination weather it is because of Race, Colour, Religion, Impairments or Sexuality. Pagans are prone to forms of Religious Discrimination and especially religious Vilification.  I have posted here pertinent excerpts from the Anti-Discrimination Committee – Queensland. For those who may need information about discrimination and especially it is not religion related please visit the ADCQ Home Page and get all the information you need and if needs be, contact them.. There is no need to be made to suffer because of some narrow minded or bigoted people. Remember, if you live in another state please contact your state Anti-Discrimination Body or the Federal Body dealing with this. Do not allow yourself to be bullied by these people even if they are people in positions of authority. All are bound by these laws.

Slàinte,

Rev Malcolm S. L. McLellan

 

Anti-Discrimination Act 1991. Queensland

The Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland is an independent statutory authority which administers the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991.

The preamble to the Act describes it as:

"An Act to promote equality of opportunity for everyone by protecting them from unfair discrimination in certain areas of activity and from sexual harassment and certain associated objectionable conduct."

The Commission has offices in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Townsville and Cairns.

 

 

Rights cards and leaflet

Wallet sized Know Your Rights cards are available for:

·         Racial and religious hatred (in Arabic, Bosnian, English, Farsi and Indonesian)

·         Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

·         lgbti community

·         Sexual harassment

 

What is racial and religious vilification?

The Queensland Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (the Act) promotes fairness by protecting people against a range of unfair treatment. One sort of unfair treatment is called vilification (the others are discrimination and sexual harassment), and the Act includes two types - racial and religious. At its simplest, vilification is a public act of racial or religious hatred, and the law says that such acts may be unlawful.

It is also a criminal offence to incite racial and religious hatred of others by threatening physical harm towards a person or their property.

Vilification can take many forms, including hate-speech, graffiti, websites and other types of written material. The behaviour often:

• happens in a public place and

• incites others to hate people or groups because of their race or religion.

The aim of the law in Queensland is to ensure that people can live free from this hatred. There is also federal law about this, and you might want to call the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission on 1300 656 419 for more information.

What sort of things might be against the law?

• racial or religious hate graffiti in public places, including churches or places of worship

• public speeches that incite racial and religious hatred

• public abuse that incites others to hate people because of their race or religion

• remarks in the media that incite hatred of others because of their race or religion

• people wearing badges or clothing with slogans that incite hatred

• internet sites with pictures or words that incite people to hate others

• public gestures which incite others to hate people

• posters or stickers in a public place that incite this hatred.

   

For further information and help please contact the Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland

Click here for the home page.

 

Or

Telephone statewide 1300 130 670 or TTY 1300 130 680