In January 2021, Covenant Christian School in Sydney sacked teacher Steph Lentz after she came out as lesbian. The dismissal was legally valid under laws in NSW and other Australian states and territories, including in Victoria that grant exemptions in the Equal Opportunity Act to religious organisations and schools.
Religious organisations and schools in Victoria however may soon no longer be able to legally fire LGBTQI+ staff on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Ten years after the then Liberal government removed protections for LGBTQI+ staff in the state, the Dan Andrews Labor government on Thursday announced that it would make it unlawful for religious organisations and schools to fire or refuse to hire persons.