The act of prayer under the Andrews government’s proposed Conversion Therapy Bill could soon land Victorians in jail, thereby violating religious freedom and parental rights, a conservative think tank has said. The report released by Menzies Research Centre comes as the controversial Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Bill (pdf) is set to be debated in Victoria’s Legislative Council on Thursday. Under the proposed bill, “prayer” will be a criminal offence if its purpose is to “change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.” The bill goes further than a similar law passed in Queensland last year, by prohibiting conversion practices that cause injury or serious injury not only in healthcare settings but also in religious settings. A survey of 500 Victorian residents aged 18 and over conducted by the think tank found that while 60 percent of Victorians aged 18 or over support the right to change …