The New South Wales Government has struck a deal to remove the cross-bench threat that could have sunk its controversial industrial relations legislation.

Christian Democrat Fred Nile says he will not be voting to block the Government's IR laws, as the Premier has agreed to take his bill to repeal ethics classes to a party room discussion.

Ethics classes were introduced by the former Labor government at the start of the year as an alternative to school scripture lessons.

The Government has also agreed that his bill will be debated in the Upper House.

Reverend Nile says some amendments may be made to the bill, which could include keeping the ethics classes until the end of the year, but reviewing them next year.

Nearly two weeks ago the ABC revealed Christian Democrats would block the IR legislation if ethics classes were not removed.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-29/nile-wont-block-nsw-ir-laws/2816732

Keep your politics out of our classrooms, Mr Nile
by Charlie Fine — 11 years old.

Before ethics classes I studied Buddhism, which I found very stimulating. And before that because there was no alternative to scripture, many of my friends (myself included) were forced to spend many hours watching Lilo & Stitch on an old TV they had dug out of the janitor's cupboard.

Then when ethics classes were offered as an alternative we were all extremely excited and were really looking forward to our first lesson. The topics we discussed included cruelty to animals and human rights.

We were split into groups and asked to discuss these issues. Our teacher was thoughtful and prepared to listen to our opinions and let us debate the topics in class.

Many of my friends joined ethics classes and we enjoyed the process of collaboration that it encouraged, how it taught us to come to a consensus on many things.

The facts show that only 33 per cent of the world is Christian, and in NSW a quarter of children choose not to attend lessons on theological scripture. I think it is possible to be non-religious and a good person.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/keep-your-politics-out-of-our-classrooms-mr-nile-20110801-1i77c.html#ixzz1TktvZL7b

Conservative crossbench MP Fred Nile has introduced his private member's bill to abolish school ethics classes, arguing the course is based on a philosophy linked to Nazism and communism.

The Christian Democratic Party MP told the upper house his bill would abolish ethics classes in public schools at the end of this school year, saying that with just 2700 students enrolled, the program had been a failure.

Ethics classes were introduced by the former Labor government as an alternative for children who did not want to attend traditional scripture classes.

The Reverend Nile provoked anger among Greens and Labor MPs when he said the "dangerous" secular humanist philosophy taught in the ethics course had led to the worst atrocities committed during World War II.

"It's relative ethics, which is the basis of secular humanism and I believe ... this is the philosophy we saw during World War II with the Nazis and with the communists," Mr Nile told the Legislative Council today.

"Situation ethics, as I see it, was followed by other regimes such as the Nazis and communists.

"Situation ethics means nothing is right and nothing is wrong ... Therefore, you can kill human beings without any embarrassment and any reservations.

"It's a very dangerous philosophy."

Godless Ethics Led To Nazism -- Nile

The Herald has given wide coverage to my perceived actions regarding the future of the so-called ''ethics course'' in NSW schools.

I have not sought to blackmail the NSW government. I simply reminded them: before they reject my Ethics Repeal Bill, they should remember they need our votes to pass their controversial industrial relations legislation. I never said I would vote against it, even though I have genuine concerns about its impact.

In fact, during my appointment with Premier Barry O'Farrell on July 28, at his request, we never discussed the industrial legislation or my vote. We came to the conclusion that my bill could proceed through the Coalition's cabinet and party room for discussion.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/ethics-lesson-two-tell-the-truth-20110804-1iddo.html#ixzz1U9QV9JnT

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blackmail explained as no-blackmail...
And by the way, Fred, the Nazis were Christians not atheists... They prayed to the same god as the others side while wearing different robes — possibly lutherian outfit , not rabid congressionalist priests...
Like Nile — in a figure of speech — the Nazis burned "bad" books and banned homosexuality... The Nazis did not like the Jews and Nile does not like the Muslims...
Nile is a hypocrite.

A PARLIAMENTARY inquiry will examine whether ethics classes in NSW schools should be abolished less than a year after they began, prompting accusations of a deal between the Premier, Barry O'Farrell, and the Christian Democratic MP Fred Nile.

The inquiry, which will report by June, will be conducted by a committee dominated by conservative MPs, including the Liberals David Clarke and Marie Ficarra, and Mr Nile's colleague Paul Green.

It will examine the objectives and effectiveness of the classes, the curriculum and whether the legislation that allows them to be taught as an alternative to special religious education should be repealed.

The government will also establish an annual ''celebration of special religious education'' to recognise the efforts of scripture teachers.

It will mandate that scripture be made available for a minimum of 30 minutes a week of ''meaningful teaching time'' in primary schools and a minimum of one period a week in secondary schools.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/inquiry-threatens-ethics-class-experiment-20111111-1nbs8.html#ixzz1dT7HEZxb

see toon and story at top...

Now hang on just a minute, Barry. When you were campaigning for us to make you Premier, you promised that Labor's ethics classes would be retained in state schools. Promised on a stack of bibles, so to speak. Most of us believed you meant it.

But now we find you have referred these ethics classes to a committee of the upper house, the Legislative Council. As the Herald's state political editor, Sean Nicholls, reported, this committee will "examine the objectives and effectiveness of the classes, the curriculum, and whether the legislation that allows them to be taught as an alternative to special religious education should be repealed".

And who's on this august body, Barry? None other than a bunch of bible-bashing conservatives, that's who. They include David Clarke and Marie Ficarra from the hard-right, Opus Dei wing of the Liberal Party, and Paul Green, a spear-carrier in Fred Nile's Christian Democratic lot. No prizes for guessing which way they're going to jump.

Call me a cynic, but this smells very much like a political fix to secure Nile's vote for other legislation you want to get through Parliament. If these classes are scrapped, Barry, it would be a gross betrayal of an election commitment. It would cost you a lot.

I don't mind at all if Nile, that inveterate pest, wants to believe the world was created in seven days by a nice old man with a beard. But there is no reason he should force this nonsense on the rest of us who don't.

Mike Carlton