A new bill introduced into Federal Parliament threatens to strip Christian schools of vital legal protections that allow them to uphold their religious ethos and employ staff who share the beliefs and values of the school.

Independent MP Allegra Spender introduced the Sex Discrimination and Fair Work Amendment (Equality in Treatment in Religious Schools) Bill 2026 on October 12.

The bill would significantly narrow existing protections under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 that allow religious schools to make employment decisions consistent with their faith.

Currently, these protections allow Christian schools to uphold their religious beliefs when making staffing decisions.

Spender’s bill would remove these protections, replacing them with a much narrower exemption.

Schools would retain the ability to give preference to people who share their faith when initially hiring staff, or when promoting employees to certain religious leadership positions.

However, their freedom to require all staff to uphold Christian teaching, particularly on sexuality and gender identity, would be removed.

This strikes at the heart of what makes a Christian school Christian.

A school's religious character is not confined to its Bible lessons or chapel services. It should shape the entire school community.

From classroom teachers to administrative and support staff, every employee plays a part in modelling the school's Christian ethos to students. They all contribute to the Christian community created by the school.

Parents choose Christian schools because they want their children educated in an environment where Christian beliefs are not simply taught, but lived.

Schools must have the freedom to employ people who will uphold those beliefs, both in their teaching and in their lives.

These proposed changes are particularly concerning as protections for Christian schools are already being eroded at the state level.

Western Australia is now proposing reforms that would further restrict the freedom of schools to employ Christian staff.

As state protections weaken, schools increasingly rely on the safeguards provided by federal legislation.

Removing those protections would leave Christian schools more vulnerable to legal challenges and pressure to compromise their religious identity.

HRLA works with Christian schools across Australia, helping them navigate complex employment and discrimination laws while protecting their Christian ethos.

We know how important these freedoms are, and how difficult it is becoming for schools to preserve them.

Religious freedom must mean more than the freedom to teach Christian beliefs. It must include the freedom to put those beliefs into practice.

Without that freedom, Christian schools risk becoming Christian in name only.