The Gillard government has put its plans to overhaul anti-discrimination laws on hold as Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus concedes the proposed laws may not have struck the right balance.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has poured cold water on recommendations made by a parliamentary inquiry to dump key exemptions for religious organisations from the nation's proposed anti-discrimination laws.

Religious organisations running schools, health and aged-care services face losing key exemptions to Labor's new anti-discrimination laws under recommendations that could see them sued by people who disagree with church ethos.

A Labor-dominated parliamentary committee on human rights has raised concerns about the Gillard government's proposed anti-discrimination reforms, warning some sections - such as a broad exemption for religious organisations - may breach international obligations.

The opposition has declared it will block Labor's proposed anti-discrimination legislation, saying it cannot pass the bill that has caused so much concern in the community.

After weathering an avalanche of criticism over its approach to free speech, the federal government is becoming exasperated with attacks on its proposed consolidation of discrimination law.

Newly sworn-in Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has poured cold water on any major change to anti-discrimination laws.

To nobody's surprise, Attorney-General Nicola Roxon has begun to walk away from the most egregious parts of Labor's draft Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill.

Catholic hospitals fear patients will use new anti-discrimination laws to demand abortions, vasectomies and IVF treatments now banned for religious reasons.

Attorney General Nicola Roxon has defended the process in the overhaul of anti-discrimination laws as she is set to quash proposed prohibitions on causing offence.

The idea that an Indian family could be refused service at a restaurant because of their race or a worker denied a promotion because she is a woman is simply unacceptable to most Australians. In 2013, the social and economic benefits of equality are clear, as is the place for laws that provide redress for unfair treatment.

Suppose a school was confronted by the information that a teacher was also working as a prostitute or an internet porn star or had a recent conviction for illegal substance possession. The known lifestyle would obviously conflict with the values that a teacher would be expected to teach and the school could be expected to contest the suitability of his employment because the roles are not compatible.

Draft federal anti-discrimination laws that make it unlawful to offend, insult or intimidate others are proving to be highly controversial.

Some things are just much simpler in theory than in practice. The matter of free speech is one such example. Few values appear as sacrosanct in a liberal democracy as the freedom of opinion and expression. It goes to the heart of individual liberty and democratic debate.

Last last year, the Gillard Labor government released a draft anti-discrimination law for public comment that was supposed simply to consolidate a few existing commonwealth laws.

As we observed last week in relation to Aboriginal affairs, the Gillard government - its future not guaranteed beyond this year - has embarked on a program to burnish its legacy.

Australia's proposed Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill is one of those good ideas that doesn't stand up to the test of practicality.

Federal Arts Minister Simon Crean was quoted on Thursday saying that the proposed anti-discrimination legislation was not a fait accompli - that "the government's intent was never the change (of) laws but simply to consolidate them and this process will enable people to have their say".

A broad range of commonsense state rules and regulations are threatened by changes to federal anti-discrimination laws, state governments have warned.

The Gillard government's proposed anti-discrimination overhaul - which would make it unlawful to discuss almost any political idea in the workplace - has been slammed by everyone from ABC chairman Jim Spiegelman to Australia's largest media organisations.

A civil iberties group says Labor's proposed national anti-discrimination laws have removed the only protection for people against genetic discrimination in the workplace.

A Queensland academic says draft legislation will not do enough to protect homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender people from discrimination.

New federal anti-discrimination laws need a provision to stop bosses from sacking domestic violence victims because of aggressive acts by a partner or family member, a Senate committee has been told.

Industry has a significant and long-running interest in the debate over how best to streamline anti-discrimination legislation. Employers are obviously deeply focused on their workplaces being sites of co-operation, efficiency, harmony and integration. Disruption and unrest at any level serves only to reduce teamwork and effectiveness.

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The federal government's embattled anti-discrimination legislation is now facing scepticism from crossbench MPs.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard is open to public feedback on Labor's planned overhaul of anti-discrimination laws.

Fears have emerged that proposed federal anti-discrimination laws may limit the way police and jails operate in each state.

If the release of the exposure draft of the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012 was intended to stimulate public discussion about an important reform initiative, it has clearly done what it set out to do.

In recent weeks the issue of ''faith-based'' organisations being allowed to discriminate against its employees and those in its care has reached a level of public discussion that is unprecedented in Australia. That's because attitudes have changed.

Dear Prime Minister, Senator Penny Wong is one of Australia's strongest finance ministers yet, under the proposed federal anti-discrimination bill, she could be fired from a tuck-shop in a religiously affiliated school.

The obvious question is, what are they afraid of? Is it fear of violence, or vandalism, or simply fear of association?

LEGAL experts have questioned whether Labor's draft anti-discrimination laws are constitutional, arguing the expansion of federal powers is a step too far into community life that will ensnare students, parents, employees and even sports spectators.

As the Senate inquiry into the bill prepares to hold its first hearings this week, constitutional law professors Nicholas Aroney of the University of Queensland and Patrick Parkinson of the University of Sydney say it could also fall foul of our international obligations and may lead to successful court challenges.

The French intellectual and poster by of the left Albert Camus said 'Freedom is not a gift received from the State or leader, but a possession to be won every day by the effort of each and the union of all.'

Australia's discrimination watchdog wants the federal government to water down its new hate laws to avoid litigation over workers' water-cooler chats.

Two of the cherished foundations of the Australian way of life are freedom of speech and the presumption of innocence. Changes are proposed which would undermine these.

Secular critics argue that religious organisations such as faith-based schools, especially Catholic schools, should not have the right to discriminate in relation to who they enrol and who they employ.

Religious organisations, including those funded by the state government, retain their legal right to discriminate against pregnant women under a new human rights bill.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has assured religious groups they will have the ''freedom'' under a new rights bill to discriminate against homosexuals and others they deem sinners, according to the head of the Australian Christian Lobby.

The Gillard government is too scared to brawl with the bishops, rabbis and imams over equality.

TELLING someone their football team is hopeless or their artwork is ugly might offend them - but it's not illegal, nor does the government propose it should be.

The architect of Labor's draft national anti-discrimination laws has declared the debate about the proposed reforms has spawned a "vicious" campaign aimed at rolling back existing protections.

Australia's media organisations are warning that content will be restricted if proposed new anti-discrimination laws are passed.

SMALL business is demanding protection under the Gillard government's proposed new anti-discrimination laws, declaring it is employers who can cop a fine when their staff abuse them with racist or sexist remarks.

A MAJOR union has warned that mothers working in retail could be forced into night and weekend shifts with no available childcare, pregnant women could be forced to scale ladders and older workers could be made to sit a "squat test" as it condemned proposed changes to anti-discrimination laws.

Unions and human rights advocates have urged the Gillard government to strengthen proposed discrimination laws to provide greater protection to carers.

THE move by Attorney-General Nicola Roxon to overhaul Australia's discrimination laws may have been well intentioned but its flaws could extend a culture of victimhood and create a gold mine for the human rights industry and lawyers while undermining cohesion at the heart of our civil society. As The Australian reported yesterday, the attempt to streamline discrimination laws and extend their reach has been slammed by religious leaders, who fear we are importing a culture of litigation from the US.

BY NOW we ought to have learnt this lesson: don't let lawyers write law. At first glance, the Gillard government's proposed changes to federal anti-discrimination law seem pretty benign. The expressed goal is to merge a bunch of acts into one omnibus act, reducing red tape and duplication. But this impression lasts for exactly as long as it takes to read the draft Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012. Then it becomes clear the goal is something else entirely - to politicise civil society and tangle our interpersonal relationships in litigation.

THE planned extension of anti-discrimination laws to cover ''social origin'' could give legal weight to a class system and threaten Australia's egalitarian spirit, the chairman of the NSW Community Relations Commission warns.

The head of the Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC) has disagreed with the view of former Australian judge and ABC chairman James Spigelman that Labor’s overhaul of discrimination laws will have a “chilling effect” on free speech.

Jim Spigelman, a former NSW chief justice and senior adviser to former prime minister Gough Whitlam with an impeccable human rights record, has hit the nail on the head in highlighting the latest attempt by the so-called progressives to cement rights and grievance agenda madness into the rule of law.

FOOTBALLERS sledging each other about injuries, a rude waiter serving a meal or someone at work criticising others for their political views could all be ruled as breaking the law under proposed anti-discrimination changes.

ABC chairman and former top jurist Jim Spigelman has warned that a planned overhaul of discrimination law will impose unprecedented restrictions on free speech, including making it unlawful to offend people, leaving the nation isolated from international norms.

I wish to discuss the boundary between hate speech, a significant factor in social inclusion, and free speech, perhaps the most fundamental human right underpinning participation in public life.

The year 2012 should be remembered in Australia as the year of the boiling frog. Much of the analysis about the past year will concentrate on things like the nastiness of Parliament, whether the boom is over, and the condition of the federal budget.

Last week the federal government unveiled a draft of the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012, the result of its consolidation of Commonwealth anti-discrimination laws.

Last week the Federal Government released its draft anti-discrimination law that will, for the first time, provide national protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity - a significant and overdue reform for our community.

IN the real world, the main mechanism for protecting human rights has absolutely nothing to do with charters and well-meaning commissioners.

It's not hard to know when you've been discriminated against; it's much, much harder to prove it. After almost 50 years of federal, state and territory anti-discrimination laws, this is a major failing in the protection they offer, but one which the federal government will remedy in its proposed new anti-discrimination law.

A NEW law that will make it easier for people to complain against discrimination will reduce the number of claims made, experts say.

The Coalition has warned proposed changes to discrimination law which will make it easier for people to make complaints would lead to a huge increase in claims.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL Nicola Roxon has defended her plan to consolidate national anti-discrimination laws, describing the move as a sensible middle course.

The Federal Government has announced an overhaul of anti-discrimination laws, including shifting the burden of proof to the defendant once a prima facie case has been established.

Most people are unaware religious schools can sack teachers who are gay or who have children outside of marriage, a survey says.

In the midst of our Prime Minister making global headlines for naming misogyny and sexism in federal politics, the Federal Government is on the cusp of a significant reform that will promote equality for the LGBTIQ community.

The Sex Discrimination Commissioner says efforts to curb sexual harassment in the workplace have not made a significant difference. A Human Rights Commission survey shows one in five workers experienced sexual harassment in the past five years. Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick says targets are most likely to be women under 40 and harassers most likely to be male co-workers.

Graeme Innes has lodged 64 complaints under the Disability Discrimination Act in 17 months. Still, Sydney's rail provider refuses to ensure audio announcements are made on their trains. So he's taking them to court.

Tony Abbott has been accused by Attorney General Nicola Roxon of "dog whistling." ATTORNEY-GENERAL Nicola Roxon has accused Tony Abbott of ''dog whistling'' by pledging to repeal Australia's racial vilification law.

Race discrimination commissioner Helen Szoke says people who feel they have been vilified must have legal protections.

Mr Abbott again defended News Limited columnist Andrew Bolt, who was ruled to have breached the Racial Discrimination Act in articles he wrote on fair-skinned Aborigines. Opposition leader Tony Abbott tells Institute of Public Affairs the coalition will repeal racial discrimination laws if it forms government.

When new Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer announced she was pregnant before she even started her high profile job it re-opened an old dialogue about pregnancy and women's rights in the workplace. Eliza Bateman says it is surprising that in 2012 it still creates controversy.

The now infamous “hate truck” and Bob Katter’s anti-gay marriage advertising campaign exposed the ugly side of Queensland politics during the recent election campaign.

Australia is obliged under international human rights law to prohibit incitement to racial hatred (Article 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights). The Commonwealth, every state, and the ACT (but not the Northern Territory) make racial vilification at least ‘unlawful’, and at times a criminal offence.

Proposed federal anti-discrimination laws are a threat to fundamental freedoms and could trigger a huge increase in complaints of bias, driving up costs for business and government, NSW Attorney-General Greg Smith has warned.

Laws should be created that define what is not discrimination to allow religious people and ethnic minorities to maintain their "different moral values" without breaking the law -- even when they work for a public institution rather than a religious one -- according to a radical proposal being considered by the Gillard government.

The Coalition's parliamentary whip has written to Labor complaining that their planned overhaul of discrimination laws do not go far enough to ensure people are protected from sex and gender discrimination.

BUSINESS is demanding Labor dump a proposal to model new anti-discrimination laws on a key pillar of the Fair Work Act that has already burdened employers with a surge in speculative claims designed to force costly payouts.

As an expert panel on constitutional reform wound up its business in Melbourne on December 8, the mood was upbeat. There was a strong sense of common ground having been found, a conviction that its recommendations would enhance the Constitution and move the nation towards a long-neglected recognition of Aboriginal people...

A NSW Catholic school has been ordered to accept the daughter of a same-sex couple after the local diocese intervened...

The father of reconciliation, Pat Dodson, has declared racial discrimination should be removed from the nation's Constitution, as voters are asked to support the creation of a new power to legislate for the "advancement" of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

Former federal minister Gary Johns -- who was part of the Keating government that spearheaded the multicultural agenda -- yesterday warned that a "multicultural act" passed by the federal parliament will eventually be used to assert collective rights...

Premier Ted Baillieu has been accused of trying to overturn more than 150 years of Victorian parliamentary tradition by pushing through a previously defeated Bill.

A key piece of government legislation has been defeated in the Victorian Parliament because a Government MP missed the vote.

The state's equal opportunity commissioner has raised concerns about the Baillieu government winding back her power to investigate serious allegations of discrimination at a time when complaints are "going through the roof".

A leading human rights law body has called the Bailleu Government’s intended amendments to the Equal Opportunity Act “a regressive step for equality and non-discrimination in Victoria.” Introduced into State Parliament by the attorney-general Robert Clark on May 5, the Victorian Equal Opportunity Amendment Bill 2011 will overturn legislation passed by the previous Labor government, which would have come into effect in August...

The true nature of the new Victorian Liberal Government is starting to emerge. Last week the Victorian Attorney-General, Robert Clark, introduced legislation to substantially weaken protection against discrimination for single parents, defacto couples and members of Victoria's gay and lesbian community.

As absurd as it sounds, an extraordinary number of NSW's so-called wheelchair-accessible taxis are too small to be of any practical use to wheelchair users.It brings to mind the Yes Minister episode about the hospital that was excellent in every respect... except that it couldn't treat patients.The long-running problem stems from the fact that many taxis, although specially designated as being "wheelchair accessible", do not appear to meet the federal disability transport standards…

As Prime Minister Julia Gillard continues to assure the public of her unyielding determination to return the budget to surplus by 2013 at all costs, she should revisit her first speech to parliament in 1998 in which she lamented the national obsession with ‘the health of our economy rather than the morals and goals of our society’. A healthy economy is vital, but will not single-handedly take care of us when we’re sick, give our kids a good education or create a safe and cohesive society…

The Rudd government recently said it would review the four federal anti-discrimination laws with a view to merging them into a single act. The review could be the most significant aspect of the government's new human rights framework - but only if the outcome is a law that will effectively tackle inequality…

In opposition, the Coalition campaigned for a ''stronger, fairer and safer'' Victoria, but early hopes that Ted Baillieu would lead a government committed to fostering an inclusive and discrimination-free society are already beginning to fade. At the weekend, the state government committed to reforming Victoria's Equal Opportunity Act 2010 in two ways: first, it will scrap measures designed to actively promote equality…

Attorney-General, Robert McClelland and Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Lindsay Tanner today announced the Government’s intention to streamline federal anti-discrimination legislation into one single comprehensive law...