Dr Paul Allen

You can believe someone is sorry and still not trust the situation.  That's why it's possible to hear all the right words and still feel uneasy afterwards. Maybe someone apologises for cancelling plans at the last minute or promises they'll communicate better after another difficult conversation. The apology sounds sincere, and the conversation feels productive. For a moment, it seems like everything has been resolved. Then, a few weeks later, the same thing happens again. An apology matters, but on its own, it doesn't rebuild trust. That only happens when behavior starts telling a different story. So when you're deciding whether to move forward, it helps to look beyond the apology itself. Trust the pattern, not the promise. And if nothing changes, you may need to adjust your expectations—or your boundaries. You're not asking for perfection, just evidence that the person is trying.

The   Conversion Practices Ban Act  2024 (NSW)   (“the Act”) is now in force, having commenced operation on 4 April 2025. I  previously posted  a paper expressing concerns about the Act's operation in relation to religious freedom. In this post, I want to reiterate briefly some of those concerns  and comment on “guidance” on the operation of the Act provided by NSW government officials. I commend the previous paper to readers for more details. However, the following extracts may help set the scene for my comments on the NSW government guidance. Below, I will be referring to the “ Frequently Asked Questions ” (“FAQ”) page produced by “Anti-Discrimination NSW” (ADNSW)- the version I am commenting on was dated 7 April 2025. (ADNSW is the “online identity” of the body formally known as the “Anti-Discrimination Board” established under the  Anti-Discrimination Act 1977  (NSW); the President of the Board receives initial complaints under the Act- see s ...