by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
SYDNEY/AMSTERDAM (Worthy News) – The government of Australia’s New South Wales state has confirmed that some prayers are now unlawful under a new ban on LGBTQ+ “conversion practices,” prompting protests from Christian leaders.
Attorney General Michael Daley told the NSW State Parliament last week that praying with or over someone in an attempt to change or suppress their sexual orientation or gender identity is banned under the Conversion Practices Ban Act 2024, which was passed in March 2024 and took effect in April 2025.
“Praying with or over a particular person in an attempt to try to change or suppress that person’s sexuality or gender is unlawful… If it’s an unlawful prayer, then it’s not a lawful prayer,” Daley told legislators, according to published transcripts.
Violations carry penalties of up to seven years in prison if serious harm is caused, along with fines of up to 22,000 Australian dollars (about $14,400). Lesser offenses can result in five years in prison or AU$11,000 ($7,200) in fines.
Lyle Shelton, national director of Australia’s Family First Party, initially linked to Pentecostal Christian movements and a candidate for the NSW Upper House, called the law “an extraordinary overreach.”
PRAYERS ‘ILLEGAL’
“Some prayers are now illegal in NSW,” Shelton said, warning that parents, pastors, or friends could face sanctions for praying with someone who requests spiritual support.
He pledged his party would introduce legislation to restore “the freedom to pray for anyone who seeks it,” especially those struggling with “unwanted same-sex attraction or gender confusion.”
Family First argues the law allows authorities to decide which prayers are permissible, while supporters say it protects vulnerable people from harmful coercion.
The debate reflects broader tensions abroad. Lawmakers in the Netherlands are preparing to vote on a revised bill limiting so-called conversion therapy to “systematic and intrusive” practices after an earlier draft failed. Critics there also fear restrictions on prayer.
The Netherlands was the first country to legalize same-sex marriage, with the first ceremonies held in Amsterdam in April 2001.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
A government ban on major social media platforms that enraged young Nepalis has spiraled into the country’s deadliest political violence in decades, with authorities saying Sunday that at least 72 people have been killed and hundreds more injured during protests reflecting years of frustration over corruption, inequality, and “curbs on freedoms.”
Throughout the Hill Country, crosses, words of Jesus, prayers and messages of hope are written on memorials honoring nearly 150 killed from the catastrophic July 4 flash flood.
The NATO military alliance has begun rolling out its defensive posture on its eastern flank bordering Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. NATO leaders said the new equipment is aimed at deterring potential Russian aggression after at least 19 Russian drones entered Polish territory and Romania also reported a violation of its airspace.
Israel’s surprise strike on Hamas political leaders in Qatar showcased its growing arsenal of advanced ballistic missiles and its ability to deploy them at long range with precision, according to an exclusive report by the Wall Street Journal.
More than 100,000 people packed into central London on Saturday for what organizers billed as the largest free speech rally in British history. The “Unite the Kingdom” march, spearheaded by activist Tommy Robinson, featured a live video appearance by billionaire Elon Musk and a tribute to slain U.S. conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Christians in Pakistan’s flood-hit Punjab province were among those struggling to survive Thursday, while in Indonesia, at least 19 people were confirmed dead after flash floods struck the tourist island of Bali and other regions as deadly monsoon waters swept across parts of South Asia.
Much of the world is mourning after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the born-again Christian conservative leader, who inspired his generation and whose widow praised him as a loving husband with a deep faith in Jesus Christ.