Islam, women’s seating and discrimination

Posted on March 8, 2016 
Filed under Opinion

Assoc Prof Neil Foster“In a very interesting recent decision, Bevege v Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia …, the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal has found that an Islamic group unlawfully discriminated against a female member of the audience for a seminar they were running, by requiring her to sit in a “women only” area.

In my view the decision is somewhat disturbing, and has the potential, if followed in the future, to undermine the appropriate recognition of religious freedom in NSW. The implications may extend beyond Muslim groups to a range of religious groups…”

– Assoc. Professor Neil Foster asks some thoughtful questions about a decision that’s been in the news.