Weekend Wrap for 13 April 2025
Welcome to the NSL Weekend Wrap for 13 April 2025, where you can catch up on the latest secular-related news from around the country.
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At the National Level
Peter Cotton, a survivor of child sexual abuse by Christian Brother Daniel McMahon in the 1960s, raised concerns about the Catholic Church’s handling of McMahon’s case. McMahon, who abused children over several decades, was allowed to continue as a priest in Tasmania after Cotton’s 2002 complaint, despite evidence of his crimes. Cotton’s research revealed the Archdiocese of Hobart’s complicity in protecting McMahon, who remained a relief priest until his death in 2012. A WA parliamentary inquiry corroborated Cotton’s findings, highlighting McMahon’s abuse across multiple schools and the Church’s failure to act. Cotton advocates for a judicial inquiry and greater transparency from the Church to prevent such failures in the future. (6 Apr 2025)
Read more at ABC News
Jewish, Islamic and Anglican faith leaders have written to Anthony Albanese reminding him of his promise that religious protections for faith groups would “not go backwards” under his prime ministership, and urged for clarity on whether a re-elected Labor government would introduce a Religious Discrimination Bill and amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act. Mr Albanese last year shied away from introducing his religious discrimination bill, declaring he would not do so without the Coalition pledging its support. He said he would not proceed with the debate out of fear of “any divisive debate relating to religion”. While LGBTQ groups lobbied for greater protections for gay and transgender staff and students, religious groups pressured Labor to honour its pre-2022 election commitment that faith-based schools would be able to employ staff who supported their religious ethos. (7 Apr 2025)
Read more at The Australian
Australia’s peak LGBTQIA+ health and wellbeing organisation, LGBTIQ+ Health Australia (LHA), has unveiled its “urgent” policy priorities ahead of the federal election. They are contained in the LHA document Policy Priorities for LGBTIQ+ Health and Wellbeing: 2025 Federal Election. The paper urges politicians to take action to improve the health and wellbeing of LGBTQIA+ Australians. A recent government consultation found one-in-three LGBTQIA+ Australians rated their health as “poor” – more than twice the national average; three in every four LGBTQIA+ people reported being diagnosed with a mental health condition at some point in their lives; and LGBTQIA+ people were found to be more prone to suicide, some cancers and alcohol and other drug use. (10 Apr 2025)
Read more at Q News
The Rationalist Society of Australia (RSA) has raised further concerns with the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) regarding the biased wording of the 2026 Census question on religious affiliation. They argue that the question, which asks “What is your religion?”, assumes all respondents have a religious affiliation, thereby coercing them into identifying with a religion and failing to accurately count non-religious Australians. Despite public feedback and the ABS’s earlier recognition of the need for more accurate data, the agency decided to retain the question after religious organisations expressed a desire for comparability with past Census data. The contention is that this approach is inconsistent with international human rights provisions, which protect the freedom to choose or reject a religion without coercion. They also highlight the importance of accurate data for policymakers, particularly in addressing human rights issues such as the exclusion of non-religious practices in government proceedings. (11 Apr 2025)
Read more at the Rationalist Society of Australia
Around the Country
VIC: Melbourne's Catholic church buildings are worth more than $3 billion, according to documents made public by Victoria's truth-telling inquiry. The estimate — which does not include the value of the land — was revealed in documents published by the Yoorrook Justice Commission last week, following a lengthy legal discussion in which the church asked for some details to be kept secret. According to the documents, the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne owns 350 church sites on an area of land roughly equivalent to 56 MCGs. The estimated value of nearly $3.3 billion reflects the insured value of 730 buildings on church sites controlled by Melbourne's Catholic archdiocese, which extends to Yea and Geelong. (8 Apr 2025)
Read more at ABC News
NSW: Six years after abortion was legalised in NSW, a new debate has emerged following the introduction of a bill by Greens health spokesperson Dr Amanda Cohn. The proposed Abortion Law Reform Amendment (Health Care Access) Bill 2025 aims to address gaps in access to abortion services, particularly in areas termed "abortion deserts." Key changes include permitting nurses and midwives to prescribe medical abortions up to nine weeks, ensuring services are available within a "reasonable distance" from patients' homes, and requiring practitioners who object to abortion to refer patients to someone who will provide the service. While leaders such as Penny Sharpe and Rose Jackson support aspects of the bill, others, including Liberal MP Rachel Merton, oppose it, arguing it undermines practitioners' conscientious objections. (8 Apr 2025)
Read more at The Age
NSW: The head of New South Wales' public schools, Murat Dizdar, sparked controversy after questioning the existence of private schools, stating that countries with solely public education systems have seen significant success. His remarks prompted backlash from Catholic Schools NSW, with its chief executive, Dallas McInerney, calling the comments “outrageously bad” and worrying for Catholic education. NSW Premier Chris Minns reaffirmed the government’s support for parental choice in education, emphasising the importance of a system that allows options between public, Catholic, and independent schools. Dizdar later clarified his comments, acknowledging the role of private and Catholic schools in NSW’s education system. The debate comes amid declining public school enrolments and ongoing discussions about funding and equity in education. (8 Apr 2025)
Read more at The Age
NSW: Sydney private school Scots College has ignited widespread public criticism following the unveiling its new $60 million faux castle student centre. Construction delays and budget overruns, coupled with a $50 fee charged to parents for the centre’s opening event, have fuelled frustration. Critics have highlighted the school’s substantial government funding—$8.35 million in 2022 and $8.97 million in 2023—amid growing concerns about inequities in Australia’s education system. Research reveals that over half of New South Wales' private schools now receive more government funding per student than public schools, exacerbating disparities in resources and opportunities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. (11 Apr 2025)
Read more at City Hub
VIC: A Geelong-based religious group, the Revival Centre, has come under scrutiny for allegedly using coercive control tactics to manipulate its members. Former members have reported being subjected to psychological manipulation, isolation from family and friends, and strict adherence to rigid doctrines. The group’s practices, which include monitoring personal behaviour and discouraging external influences, have raised concerns about its impact on mental health and autonomy. Legal experts and advocacy groups are calling for greater awareness of coercive control within religious organisations and stronger regulatory measures to protect individuals from such abuses. The case highlights the need for a broader public discourse on the intersection of religious freedom and harmful control mechanisms. (15 Apr 2025)
Read more at ABC News
Commentary and Analysis
ABC Radio National / Dr Anna Halafoff: Does religious schooling mean better grades?
"Dr Anna Halafoff of Deakin University discusses some US research suggesting pious students have higher grades, and the growth of non-Christian faith-based schools in Australia." (9 Apr 2025)
Listen to this piece at ABC Radio National
Victorian Minister for Equality Vicki Ward: VIC’s New Anti-Vilification Bill, LGBTQIA+ Protections & A Fair Go For All
"More than 11 per cent of Victorians identify as part of the LGBTIQA+ community – our family members, neighbours, friends and colleagues. Yet we see divisive and mean-spirited rhetoric around LGBTIQA+ people and their rights in sections of our community, occasionally right in the heart of our Parliament. Certainly, we are at a crossroads as a state and a nation with our fundamental Australian values of the ‘right to a fair go’ being tested. As I visit communities across Victoria, I hear the stories of LGBTIQA+ Victorians, some of which are heartbreaking; young people afraid of being harassed at school, parents who lie awake worrying about the affects of hateful words on their children, trans and gender diverse people who have felt unsafe in their communities because of their gender expression. The ugly retreat from inclusion unfolding across the United States is a warning to us all about how quickly rights can be lost, particularly how trans and gender diverse communities can be weaponised for no purpose other than an increasingly harmful culture war." (10 Apr 2025)
Read more at Star Observer
Francis DeBernardo, Editor, New Ways Ministry: Are Tasmanian Catholic Schools Creating a ‘Culture of Fear’ for LGBTQ+ Staff?
"While Australia’s federal Sex Discrimination Act states that religious institutions can discriminate in employment if gender identity or sexual orientation goes against the religion, Tasmanian state law holds that educational institutions cannot discriminate based on gender, sexuality, or relationship status. While federal law is often thought to trump state laws, Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Pia Saterno states that federal laws are not intended to “exclude or limit the operation of a state or territory.” Thus, federal and state laws must coexist. Rodney Croome, a spokesperson from Equality Tasmania, and LGBTQ+ rights organization, believes that Catholic Education Tasmania is breaking the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Act through their discriminatory hiring process, saying “The act makes it very clear that faith-based schools cannot discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity.” (10 Apr 2025)
Read more at New Ways Ministry
Rach Cosker-Rowland: Prescribing puberty blockers to trans teenagers is not as morally or medically contentious as it seems
"At the end of January, Queensland paused the provision of puberty blockers for new trans teenage patients while a review is conducted. The Australian subsequently published an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calling for a nationwide pause on puberty blockers for trans youth. Then, in February, protests were held in eighteen cities across the country in response Queensland’s decision. And in late March, Queensland appointed former Victorian chief psychiatrist Ruth Vine to lead a review into the evidence regarding hormone treatments and puberty blockers for trans teenagers. ... These widespread restrictions on puberty blockers for trans youth across many jurisdictions can make it seem as though puberty blockers are a contentious moral issue concerning which there are important considerations on different sides. But I argue that this is not the case. There is a clear scientific consensus that puberty blockers can do great good and avert severe harm, and we have good evidence that they do not cause harm." (10 Apr 2025)
Read more at ABC Religion & Ethics
Events and Campaigns
The Secular Party of Australia is one of five parties (along with the Science Party, the Pirate Party, Vote Planet, and the Climate Change Justice Party) that amalgamated to form the new Fusion Party. Fusion is running 24 candidates across both the House of Representatives and the Senate in the upcoming election. Visit their website to get more information on Fusion party candidates and Fusion party policies.
The Australian Education Union is seeking volunteers to letterbox flyers on their block in the lead-up to the federal election, encouraging people to support Labor's promise to increase funding for public schools. Read more at the Do Your Block campaign website
The full videos of presentations and panel discussions from the 2023 Secularism Australia Conference are freely available for viewing on the Secularism Australia website and on YouTube!
The Australia Institute are calling on federal parliament to pass truth in political advertising laws that are nationally consistent, constitutional and uphold freedom of speech. View the petition at The Australia Institute
The Human Rights Law Centre are running a website for those who want to support an Australian Charter of Human Rights & Freedoms. Visit the Charter of Rights website here
The Australian Education Union is running a campaign calling for “every school, every child” to receive fair education funding. Support the campaign here.
The Human Rights for NSW alliance is running a campaign calling for NSW to pass a Human Rights Act.
That's it for another week!
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