Christians make case to Canberra at Launceston rally

Speakers at the 'Faith in Our Future' meeting addressed a crowd of 420-plus that spilled over from Launceston Christian School's auditorium and filled the library.

Senator Jonno Duniam praised the tone of the meeting - calling it one of the best events he'd attended during eight years in the senate - as teachers, parents and students described their experiences of Christian education.

Trevallyn's Rachel Morgan, a former LCS student, said she and her husband had carefully weighed up where to enrol their daughters before eventually selecting LCS.

"We had to ask ourselves - what actually is important to us when it comes to the education of our children?" she said.

"[Ultimately] we want our girls to see how Jesus speaks into every dimension of the classroom.

"How maths reflects God's infinite complexity and beautiful order. How on the sports field or playground, Jesus' instruction to love others informs behaviour.

"But more than anything, we desire for our girls to know and love the ways of Jesus.

"To have the opportunity to partner with a school and teachers who also have the same values we have in bringing up our children - it means everything to us."

The Albanese government is weighing up recommendations to limit the freedoms of faith-based schools as it overhauls Australia's discrimination laws.

The government's draft legislation has not yet been made public, but has been seen by some government ministers and faith leaders, who are under non-disclosure agreements.

It is understood the legislation in its current form would limit a school's ability to choose staff that share its values, and control what aspects of traditional Christian teaching can be shared with students.

Senator Duniam conceded the former Australian government had "failed that test" of introducing discrimination law reform in 2021 and 2022, but urged the incumbent government not to push the legislation through behind closed doors.

"When we are faced with a situation where we may well be restricted from doing, saying or believing in the things that we believe - that's a real threat to what is great about our country whether you're a Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim. Whoever you might be, that goes to the heart of our country and what makes it great," he said.

"We need hard and fast commitments that the rights and freedoms that our schools need to thrive aren't in any way restricted or impeded."

Fellow Liberal Senator Wendy Askew said restricting schools' rights to choose staff would be a "huge overstep", and said it was important that Christian values weren't lost at a time of world conflict and uncertainty.

Labor Senator Helen Polley, who is yet to see the draft legislation, told The Examiner that faith-based schools were "essential".

"What I am hearing overwhelmingly is that schools which are faith-based and independent should be able to choose the staff and leaders they want within their institution to enhance teaching and education for our young people," she said.

"Faith-based schools offer an educational environment which is appealing to many Tasmanian families, which is why thousands of Tasmanian students attend faith-based and independent schools across Tasmania."

Parents and school staff from as far as Kingston, Hobart and Smithton travelled to Launceston for the event.