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Morrison reignites religious discrimination debate that drove a wedge through Coalition

There was no shortage of smiles amongst Perth's Vietnamese residents when the PM announced s $1.6 million grant for a community centre. <i>Photo: AAP</i>

There was no shortage of smiles amongst Perth's Vietnamese residents when the PM announced s $1.6 million grant for a community centre. Photo: AAP

Scott Morison has pledged religious discrimination laws would still be a priority should the coalition be re-elected at the May 21 poll.

However, such laws would be separated from proposed amendments that would protect LGBT students from being expelled.

When pressed on the timing of such measures, the Prime Minister said the religious discrimination laws would be addressed first.

However, he did not say whether the other protections would be addressed simultaneously.

“We will deal with the (Religious Discrimination Act) first … let’s see what happens at the election,” he told reporters in Perth on Saturday.

“Our commitment was to go forward with the RDA.”

The religious discrimination laws were a key campaign promise by the Coalition at the 2019 election.

However, several Coalition MPs crossed the floor on the issue when it was debated in parliament earlier this year due to concerns the laws would unfairly impact LGBT students at religious schools.

While the laws were a major campaign promise, Mr Morrison denied his government was in chaos.

Intent on spurning independents

“Over the course of the last three years as a majority government, it enabled us to deliver the biggest economic intervention to Australia,” he said.

“We do not want to have a government that has to bargain for its existence every single day based on the latest whim of the independents.”

While campaigning in several key Western Australian marginal seats on his second consecutive day in the state, the Prime Minister said marginal seats in the area were critical to his re-election bid.

“They’re very important, all these seats are,” he said.

“I believe in my team, because having so many Western Australian members in my team, that’s how the GST got done for Western Australia.”

With just two weeks until election day, the Mr Morrison spent time in the marginal seats of Cowan, Pearce and Hasluck.

While Labor hold Cowan by just 0.8 per cent, the Liberals are at risk of losing Swan, Hasluck and Pearce at the upcoming poll.

Mr Morrison was campaigning alongside Hasluck MP Ken Wyatt at at a Perth winery while announcing a $20 million tourism boost for wineries, distilleries and breweries.

Earlier in the day, in the electorate of Cowan and alongside Liberal candidate Vince Connelly, the Prime Minister announced $1.6 million for a Vietnamese cultural centre in Perth’s north.

He then spent time campaigning at a community morning tea in Pearce.

Mr Morrison is expected to fly to Melbourne on Saturday night, before heading to Sydney on Sunday ahead of the second leaders’ debate with Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese.

-AAP

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