With Victoria moving to pass a Bill that will ban Christian conversion therapy, 20Twenty’s Neil Johnson sat down on Monday with Martyn Iles, managing director the ACL, to discuss the potential impacts this may have on religious freedoms.
“It’s really concerning. It’s one of the most draconian Bills I’ve ever seen introduced into a parliament in Australia,” Iles stated. “Effectively it is so broad [that] in its effect, it bans, under threat of criminal sanctions and prison terms, any conduct that could induce a person to change or suppress their sexual orientation or gender identity.”
Iles has suggested that the Change and Suppression Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill will heavily influence the freedoms and rights of Christians in Victoria, stating…
“[The Bill] will criminalise parents, criminalise counsellors [and] criminalise people who are leading in Churches.”
“If anyone seeks even the idea of prayer…then there is potential jail time…putting a hand on someone’s shoulder and praying over them is a criminal offence,” Iles informed listeners.
As the Bill is reviewed and undergoes governmental processes, Iles encourages listeners to get involved with a campaign that will launch this week. “We’re going to be running a really big campaign this week…to get as many voices from as many constituents in Victoria speaking to [their] local MPs about how outrageous this is.”
To listen to the full discussion between Martyn Iles and Neil Johnson, see the audio recording below:
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