A Brisbane Christian school has withdrawn student enrolment contracts that included gender and sexuality clauses amid two probes and widespread criticism, including from the prime minister.
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The Citipointe in Carindale faced a possible review of its state funding and anti-discrimination action over the contracts sent to parents last week.
The documents said "the college will only enrol the student on the basis of the gender that corresponds to their biological sex" and said homosexuality is "sinful", like bestiality, incest and pedophilia.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Queensland Education Minister Grace Grace opposed the contracts.
The Non-State Schools Accreditation Board was set to review the documents, about which complaints have also been lodged with the Queensland Human Rights Commission.
However, Citipointe principal Brian Mulherin revoked the enrolment contracts on Thursday, saying parents wouldn't have to sign them.
He apologised about the documents, and to gay and transgender students.
"We deeply regret that some students feel that they would be discriminated against because of their sexuality or gender identity, and I apologise to them and their families," Pastor Mulherin said in a statement.
"As stated previously, the college does not and will not discriminate against any student because of their sexuality or gender identity.
"It is central to our faith that being gay or transgender in no way diminishes a person's humanity or dignity in God's eyes."
The principal said reports that Citipointe students had been "vilified in the community" had driven his decision.
"I hope that by withdrawing the contract we can return all of our focus to the Christian education of our students as we begin this new year," Pastor Mulherin said.
The education minister, who has a non-binary child, had been calling for the contract to be scrapped all week.
She welcomed Citipointe's announcement on Thursday, saying the documents should go for good.
"Can I obviously urge - in the interests of the mental welfare of students, staff, parents and carers and in the public interest - that they abandon these contracts and that they never resurface again," Ms Grace told reporters.
Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Citipointe contracts discriminated against certain students.
"I don't support that," Mr Morrison told radio B105.
"My kids go to a Christian school here in Sydney and I wouldn't want my school doing that either."
The federal government has been trying to get its religious discrimination bill, aimed at protecting people expressing statements of religious belief from anti-discrimination laws, through parliament.
However, the prime minister promised an amendment would ensure schools couldn't discriminate against same-sex attracted and gender-diverse students.
"I've been saying that for years, that's always been my view," Mr Morrison said.
"I think school should be ... you send your kids to a Christian school, or a Muslim school, or a Jewish school or whatever it is, that should be able to teach kids in that way, but that's a notion (discriminatory contracts) that I don't support."
Australian Associated Press
