Update: Judge Calls for Changes to Religious Vilification Laws

August 2, 2005

Source: NEWS.com.au/Herald Sun

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16121412-1243,00.html

On August 2, 2005 the Herald Sun reported, "A senior Victorian judge has called for changes to the state's contentious religious vilification laws. Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal president Stuart Morris's comments came as he dismissed as preposterous a lawsuit launched by a convicted sex offender and self-proclaimed witch. Prisoner Robin Fletcher claimed [that] the Salvation Army's Alpha Christianity course, offered in jails, discriminated against him on the ground of his Wiccan religion... Justice Morris yesterday summarily dismissed Fletcher's claims against the Salvation Army, Corrections Victoria and course distributors CMC Australasia, saying they were 'nowhere near the mark' of religious vilification. He called for the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act - under which Fletcher filed his claim - to be amended to limit people's right to launch a lawsuit."