### Blog Post: Freedom Fighters Group – The Threat to Christian Freedom in Queensland
**Title:** Queensland’s New Anti-Discrimination Law: A Warning for Christians
**Introduction:**
As many of you have heard, the Queensland government passed the *Respect at Work and Other Matters Amendment Bill 2024* late on September 10. This new legislation has raised serious concerns, especially for the 2.5 million Christians across Queensland, as it could significantly impact freedom of speech and religious expression.
Under the guise of promoting respect and reducing workplace discrimination, the law grants the Queensland Human Rights Commission (QHRC) expanded powers to regulate speech deemed offensive to those with “protected attributes,” such as sexual orientation, gender identity, or religious beliefs. This shift could have profound consequences for the Christian community, as sharing biblical teachings on these subjects may now open believers to legal challenges.
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**Key Provisions of the Bill:**
1. **Expansion of Protected Attributes**:
- The list of protected attributes under Queensland’s Anti-Discrimination Act now includes sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness, and physical appearance, among others [oai_citation:1,Queensland overhauls discrimination laws, introduces new positive duty - Technical update - MinterEllison](https://www.minterellison.com/articles/queensland-overhauls-discrimination-laws). This broad protection opens the door for complaints against religious teachings that challenge these attributes, even when those teachings are rooted in biblical truth.
2. **Positive Duty for Employers and Organizations**:
- Employers, churches, and organizations are now required to take proactive measures to eliminate discrimination and harassment. This means that institutions can no longer wait for complaints; they must implement policies to prevent anything deemed discriminatory [oai_citation:2,Queensland overhauls discrimination laws, introduces new positive duty - Technical update - MinterEllison](https://www.minterellison.com/articles/queensland-overhauls-discrimination-laws). This could pressure Christian institutions to alter their message to avoid potential legal action.
3. **Burden of Proof Shift**:
- The burden of proof in discrimination cases now lies with the accused party. If a Christian teaching is challenged, the individual or institution must prove it was not discriminatory [oai_citation:3,Queensland overhauls discrimination laws, introduces new positive duty - Technical update - MinterEllison](https://www.minterellison.com/articles/queensland-overhauls-discrimination-laws). This makes defending traditional Christian values in public much more difficult.
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**Why Christians Should Be Concerned:**
While the bill claims to protect vulnerable groups, its wording leaves a lot of room for interpretation. Religious teachings on subjects like marriage, gender, and sexuality could be seen as offensive under this law, leading to potential fines or lawsuits.
The freedom to preach from the Bible, particularly on challenging moral issues, is at risk. This law essentially places Christian beliefs in direct conflict with state-enforced ideas of equality and respect. As Queensland Christian Lobby's Director Rob Norman stated, “This new legislation pulls a death blanket over freedom of speech and the expression of religion” [oai_citation:4,The extinction of free speech and religious freedom | The Spectator Australia](https://www.spectator.com.au/2024/09/the-extinction-of-free-speech-and-religious-freedom/).
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**Timeline and Action Steps:**
- The new laws come into effect from **July 1, 2025**, giving us a limited window to act [oai_citation:5,Queensland overhauls discrimination laws, introduces new positive duty - Technical update - MinterEllison](https://www.minterellison.com/articles/queensland-overhauls-discrimination-laws).
- The Queensland Human Rights Commission is expected to begin enforcing these regulations as early as **October 2024**, so now is the time to prepare.
What can we do?
- **Raise awareness**: Share this blog post and talk to friends, family, and your church community about what’s happening. The more people are informed, the stronger we can stand against these changes.
- **Pressure political leaders**: The Queensland state election is on **October 26, 2024**. Contact your local representatives and demand they take a stand against these oppressive laws.
- **Pray and act**: As Christians, our faith compels us to both pray for wisdom and take meaningful action. Now is the time to protect our religious freedoms, for ourselves and future generations.
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**Stay Connected:**
To stay updated on this and other pressing issues, visit and join the conversation on our [Facebook Freedom Fighters page](https://www.facebook.com/groups/1364685073992192/?ref=share_group_link). We are sharing the latest developments, and we encourage you to contribute if you find additional information on the bill. Together, we can organize and plan further steps.
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This law represents a serious threat to religious liberty and freedom of speech in Queensland. We need to stand united, speak out, and act before these rights are stripped away. Let’s ensure that our Christian voices remain a light in the darkness.
**For more information and to stay involved, visit our Facebook page [here](https://www.facebook.com/groups/1364685073992192/?ref=share_group_link).**
I encourage you all to share on please!
