School bullying inquiry hears Catholic Education Tasmania denies leadership roles to staff based on sexual orientation and relationship status

A religious education provider in Tasmania has told a parliamentary inquiry that it excludes employees based on their sexual orientation and relationship status, leaving an LGBTIQA+ group concerned state anti-discrimination laws have been breached. Catholic Education Tasmania operates 38 schools around the state, with Archbishop Julian Porteous telling a current parliamentary inquiry that it educates "17,000 young Tasmanians each year and employs about 4,000 staff". Catholic Education Tasmania executive director Gerard Gaskin told the inquiry that if staff lived "outside of Catholic moral precepts" they would not be employed as a senior leader. " 'Religious freedoms' protected, education provider says At the hearing, Archbishop Porteous said Catholic Education Tasmania was "very happy" to accept diverse staff and students, so long as they were not "publicly presenting an alternative view". Possible legal breach flagged LGBTQIA+ rights advocate and Equality Tasmania spokesperson Rodney Croome said he was "very concerned" by Catholic Education Tasmania's practices, which "appear to be in breach of the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Act".