The Australian Government has shelved its controversial religious discrimination bill.
The proposed laws would have made it more difficult to expel students from schools based on their sexuality, gender, relationship status, or pregnancy.
Early on Thursday morning, the protections were extended to include transgender students after five Liberal MPs crossed the floor of the House of Representatives to vote with Labor MPs.
But a motion required to give approval for bills to be debated in the Senate, after they had been introduced, failed in a vote on Thursday.
Government senators had earlier indicated they would move to overturn the amendment in the Senate, due to it changing the nature of the original bill.
Assistant Attorney-General Amanda Stoker said the coalition government had spoken with several groups after the amendments were introduced in the House.
"We are really intent on honouring commitments we made to multicultural groups and religious groups and LGBTI groups in the consultation process," she told Sky News.
"We're checking in with them, trying to make sure we fully appreciate the implications of that amendment before we have to deal with it in the Senate."
Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman, who voted for the amendment, said his decision to vote against the government was a matter of conscience.
"[Supporting the amendments] would be a bad signal to send to the transgender community," he told ABC Radio.
"It's hard to cross the floor and people feel passionately about these issues."
The Australian newspaper has reported that Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s received legal advice which warned the proposed laws could increase the risk of discrimination in schools.
The government is now expected to push for a Senate inquiry, meaning the legislation’s unlikely to be considered before the upcoming election.
SHARE ME