Chris has provided us with a trigger warning: “Chris Fotinopoulos is a philosophy teacher and ethicist who taught medical ethics at Monash University and The University of Melbourne”.

Did you know that the baker he mentions who refused to provide homosexuals with a cake because of his religious convictions is now driving a garbage truck to provide for his family after he was broken and forced out of business? He would probably be quite unmoved by this 'philosophying'.

So, anyone who doesn’t agree with currently popular ideas is a bigot?
So much for freedom of thought let alone freedom of speech.
However, I do agree with your premise that the market place should sort out these issues.
I can never understand why anyone would want to force a reluctant baker, florist, photographer etc to provide service and goods for a wedding they disagreed with. That’s asking for ill wishing on what is supposed to be a happy day.
In this day and age there are plenty of alternative providers for any number of different types of requests. Let people use those who are happy to provide the service.

Here we go again! Another homophobe unable or unwilling to accept peer-reviewed medical science that demonstrates there is a gay gene. Not one but indisputably two that are exclusive to homosexuals and a probable three others. Or that the overwhelming number of the people have spoken and rejected this medieval ignorance! Feel free to discriminate against people of colour, race, gender bias or creed if that's what rocks your boat? But don't expect the protection of the law nor an inherently decent Australian community. Many of who have gay members among family and friends. Anyone is free to withhold service on any flaged grounds. A sign outside a church or school that declares we repect and honour the traditional view of marriage, religious belief and practise, enough to deter the majority of fairminded Aussies, their gay freinds and family! Even so, be prepared for folk who've had gender reassignment surgergy and HR treatment to turn up and completely confound your ignorance personified impramata. Alan B.

Protection? Who ever asked for any protection? All the baker asks is for the freedom to be left alone.

If one does ask for protection, then they should be willing to pay the price, but "do as I say or I throw you in jail" is extortion, not protection - this is what Mafias and governments do.

In the current day and age when and where we have no prophets to advise which behaviours are religious and which are not, one should be extremely careful and allow ALL behaviours. If you ask government to ban what is most dear to others, then do not be surprised when subsequently what happens to be most dear to you will be banned as well!

What shocks me, is the cruel attempt to force businesses to have signage in English: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-16/what-putting-english-first-means-for-multicultural-australia/9762578
They have no idea where this will lead, including the ensuing violence: sexual discrimination is comparably a petty issue.

Of course, if a business owner does seek government protection that's a different category, also if their only consideration is profit, then market forces will do the job.

//In this day and age there are plenty of alternative providers for any number of different types of requests. Let people use those who are happy to provide the service.//

Gosh, what a terrific idea. I eagerly await public houses once more affixing notices like this to their doors:

http://d.ibtimes.co.uk/en/full/1462980/no-dogs-no-blacks-no-irish-sign.png?w=356

It's not the blacks or the dogs I mind so much, it's those damn drunken Irish bastards.

Toni, why not? In this day and age we have swimming pools banning everyone except Muslim women for certain sessions.
We have legal and health services banning everyone who is not aboriginal.
Pregnant women are allowed to reject a male midwife if they feel uncomfortable about having a male nurse caring for them.
Doctors and nurses are allowed to refuse to participate in an abortion if it’s against their religious beliefs.
As I have already said, why force yourself onto a person, place or service where you are not welcome, when it’s easy to find what you want where you are welcome.