Weekend Wrap for 29 June 2025
Welcome to the NSL Weekend Wrap for 29 June 2025, where you can catch up on the latest secular-related news from around the country.
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At the National Level
Conservative Christian group Family Voice Australia has launched a campaign urging Health Minister Mark Butler to intervene in the landmark decision by the Therapeutic Goods Association to allow new rules regarding gay men who donate blood. National Director Peter Downie claimed that changes were only being made because “activists” had “pressured Lifeblood to prioritise ‘inclusion’ over safety.” Lifeblood says extensive research and modelling show that there will be no impact to the safety of the plasma supply with this change. (21 Jun 2025)
Read more at OUTinPerth
The Albanese government has been urged to end an “outrageous” and “cruel joke” that incentivises donations to Australia’s richest private schools in return for a tax deduction. But the peak body for independent schools says the criticism is overblown and that tax-deductibility is “essential” to build campus infrastructure, with 95% of capital expenditure funded through parent contributions, fundraising, loans and philanthropy. Analysis of federal government data by the campaign group Save Our Schools has found that more than $106m was donated to 60 private schools in 2023. Some of these donations were considered tax deductible gifts to charities, provided the money was designated for campus buildings. Some tax experts and analysts believe this concession – which is not extended to all charities and has been criticised by the Productivity Commission – has exacerbated inequality in the education system and added to the largesse of exclusive schools. The analysis revealed dozens of private schools received donation totalling more than $2m in 2023, in addition to substantial revenue from investments and property portfolios, and funding from government. (26 Jun 2025)
Read more at The Guardian
The Rationalist Society of Australia and three non-religious veterans met with two representatives of the War Memorial on Wednesday to discuss the dominance of the annual Dawn Service by one religious tradition – Christianity. Following the meeting, RSA Executive Director Si Gladman said the discussions were positive and constructive. “The War Memorial’s representatives were very generous with their time and eager to listen to the views of the non-religious veterans in attendance. Our delegation made a compelling case on the need for change to the Dawn Service, sharing personal experiences of how the imposition of religion and acts of religious worship in the Dawn Service alienate many non-religious, ex-religious and non-Christian religious people, and put up barriers to them wanting to attend." (27 Jun 2025)
Read more at the Rationalist Society of Australia
Around the Country
NSW: The New South Wales government is awarding public schools for “building social cohesion” where they segregate children according to the religion of their parents as part of the scripture program. Late last year, education minister Prue Car presented Northbourne Public School with a ‘Building Social Cohesion Award’ for its wide range of religious offerings – including Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Catholicism, and Sikhism – in the Special Religious Education (SRE) program. An article on the Department of Education website says the school has fostered “a positive and inclusive environment where all students can access the best possible Special Religious Education program”. In reality, SRE represents division rather than inclusion, as opposed to General Religious Education (GRE), which is secular in nature. In the state parliament earlier this year, the Minns government joined with Liberal and National MPs in praising SRE. (25 Jun 2025)
Read more at the Rationalist Society of Australia
WA: Jacob Hill, the Western Australian State Director of the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL), has questioned the bill to ban conversion therapy practices in Western Australia, asking why clairvoyants and motivational speakers are permitted to practice. Hill stated that the reforms to the Equal Opportunities Act and ban on conversion therapy promised by WA Attorney-General Tony Buti would "very much potentially effect faith based organisations such as churches and Christian schools." Hill also defended Esther House, the Perth-based women's residential facility that closed in 2022 after stories emerged of emotional and psychological abuse, and coercive and extreme religious practices, including claims that the facility were holding exorcisms to banish same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria. (26 Jun 2025)
Read more at OUTinPerth
SA: Catholic Education South Australia has welcomed the Malinauskas state Government’s decision to continue its funding commitment to non-government schools through to 2034, following the finalisation of the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement with the Albanese Government. As part of the agreement, the South Australian Government will continue to provide 22 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard to non-government schools for the next 10 years. The new agreement will see more than $60 billion allocated to South Australian public and non-government schools over the next decade. (26 Jun 2025)
Read more at CathNews
Commentary and Analysis
Jaime Simpson and Kathleen McPhillips: Victoria is looking into religious cults - here’s what it should examine
"The Victorian parliament has launched a long-overdue inquiry into abuse and coercive control within cults and religious fringe groups. It is a welcome acknowledgement of the damage that can flourish under the guise of faith, and the unquestioning obedience to authoritarian leaders in religious groups. The inquiry will hear victim-survivors can suffer a diverse range of harms, including sexual, financial and labour exploitation, spiritual manipulation, and institutional betrayal. ... Importantly, the inquiry will interrogate “abusive practices”, not the beliefs behind them: There is a distinction between genuine religious practice and harmful behaviour. “Freedom of religion” is not freedom, for example, to defraud, nor is it freedom to cause significant psychological harm to any person." (18 Jun 2025)
Read more at The Conversation
Elizabeth Dangerfield: Volunteers and charities are shouldering too much of the burden
"Too many Australians continue to face life-threatening and life-diminishing situations, including homelessness, food insecurity, inability to pay rent or bills, mental illness, hygiene poverty, and domestic violence. ... Volunteers and charities often pick up the shortfall between what is actually needed and what governments provide to aid people in dire need. They provide both solutions for acute problems and chronic debilitating situations. Many organisations delivering services are religious charities. While they may do the best possible job they can in difficult situations, they deliver services from particular perspectives which are not neutral – laudable, though, their efforts may be." (26 Jun 2025)
Read more at Rationale Magazine
Events and Campaigns
CURRENT
Student voices are being heard across the state, thanks to the new NSW Public Schools Survey. Learn more at the NSW Education website.
Go Gentle Australia are fundraising to support a campaign for VAD in the NT. Learn more and donate on their website.
The Victorian Legislative Assembly’s Legal and Social Issues Committee is now accepting public submissions for its inquiry into cults and organised fringe groups, examining how they recruit and control people. Submissions are due by 31 July 2025, with the committee set to report back to parliament in late September. Make a submission here.
The NSW Law Reform Commission is reviewing the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW) and public submissions are being requested. The closing date for submissions is 15 August 2025. Learn more and make a submission at the LRC website.
ONGOING
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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