Fed: Sex Discrim Act flawed if it stops church employing men: PM

AAP General News (Australia)
02-01-2004
Fed: Sex Discrim Act flawed if it stops church employing men: PM

CANBERRA, Feb 1 AAP - The Sex Discrimination Act may be flawed if it stops the Catholic
Church from favouring male teachers, Prime Minister John Howard said tonight.

Mr Howard, commenting on efforts by the church to deliberately boost the number of
male teachers in its schools, said he believed it was odd the Human Rights Commission
may knock back the proposal.

"There's a chronic imbalance as far as teachers are concerned," he told ABC radio.

"I noticed the Catholic church is struggling to get the permission of the Human Rights
Commission to discriminate in favour of male teachers.

"I think that's odd.

"The Sex Discrimination Act in my mind was never intended to stop that happening.

"It's about preventing women being discriminated against.

"I think perhaps that underlines a flaw in the legislation."

Opposition Leader Mark Latham last week raised the issue of a lack of male role models
in some families that may be contributing to social problems.

Mr Howard agreed the issue was important.

"You talk about something like male role models, there is a challenge," he said.

"We do not want a society where boys are growing up without male role models."

Mr Howard also signalled the government would broaden its election campaigning, from
the economy and national security, to social issues.

"We'll also be campaigning on issues relating to social stability," he said.

AAP sw/sjb

KEYWORD: BOYS HOWARD

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