Weekend Wrap for 3 August 2025
Welcome to the NSL Weekend Wrap for 3 August 2025, where you can catch up on the latest secular-related news from around the country.
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At the National Level
Why are more parents choosing private education for their children? ABS data shows that over the last five years, public school enrolments grew by just 1 per cent - compared to an 18.5 per cent rise at independent schools and a 6.6 per cent rise at Catholic schools. Research from independent data scientist David McCloskey maps the likelihood of public and private students attaining a university degree. The study found 31 per cent of public-school students attain a university degree compared to 45 per cent for Catholic school alumni and 53.5 per cent for those who went to independent schools. Previous studies have found little difference in outcomes between private and public students after controlling for parent’s education levels and wealth and there’s evidence public school students may actually perform better than private students once at university. The findings come as cash finally begins to flow to public schools at the levels promised by the Gonski review almost 15 years ago. All states have signed on to a new $16-billion funding deal and will hit minimum funding levels sometime over the next decade. (28 Jul 2025)
Watch this segment from 7.30 on the ABC website
Labor senator Josh Dolega has used his first speech in the senate to "give a sense of hope" to young queer people who have ambitions to enter politics. He is the first openly gay Labor senator from Tasmania, and in his speech revealed he'd been bullied as a young person. Tasmania was the last state to decriminalise homosexuality. Equality Tasmania spokesperson Rodney Croome applauded the speech, saying that while Senator Dolega was "up front about the challenges he faced as a young gay Tasmanian", the speech also sent the message that "real change is possible". (31 Jul 2025)
Read more at ABC News
Around the Country
NSW: Over the past five years, independent schools gained more students than any other sector, particularly in regional NSW, where enrolments jumped by 4.3 per cent, with 13,659 students joining their local private school. The Association of Independent Schools of NSW (AISNSW), the peak body for the state’s private schools, released a report this week showing private schools enrol 19.5 per cent of all students, up from 13.1 per cent in 2000. Across all NSW schools, the percentage of students identifying as non-religious has increased from 20 per cent in 2011 to 37 per cent in 2021, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. (31 Jul 2025)
Read more at The Age
NT: Northern Territory Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby has introduced the Anti-Discrimination Amendment Bill to Parliament, reinstating an exception for religious schools to hire on the basis of faith. The Northern Territory anti-discrimination watchdog has expressed concern over the proposed legislation, warning the reforms undermine the very purpose of the protections. The proposed rewording means discriminatory conduct would have to “incite hatred, serious contempt or severe ridicule” to be considered hate speech. Ms Boothby said the changes aimed to strike the balance between safeguarding freedom of speech, religion, and belief and protecting Territorians from harm. It comes three years after the previous Labor government overhauled the Anti-Discrimination Act, which the Country Liberal Party said blurred the line between unlawful discrimination and everyday conversation. The amendments also allow schools to discriminate when hiring, including for non-faith based roles such as math teachers, cleaners or admin staff. (31 Jul 2025)
Read more at CathNews (originally published at NT News)
NT: The Northern Territory union representing teachers say that the proposed reinstatement of religious discrimination exemptions is unnecessary, divisive, and harmful, and that faith-based schools have been more than capable of functioning in the absence of these exemptions. The CEO of the Northern Territory Council of Social Service also says there’s no evidence to indicate the need for a new model. Assistant Secretary for the Australian Services Union SA + NT says the changes would leave workers more vulnerable in their workplaces. (31 Jul 2025)
Read more at Q News
NSW: The Law Reform Commission invited the RSA to attend a consultation meeting to discuss discrimination against non-religious people as part of its review of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW). Executive Director Si Gladman told the Law Reform Commission’s commissioner, Tom Bathurst, that the RSA would support the addition of a new protected attribute for religion and belief in the Anti-Discrimination Act as long as it was a shield against discrimination and not a sword for discrimination. (1 Aug 2025)
Read more at the Rationalist Society of Australia
Commentary and Analysis
Ian Robinson: Tackling antisemitism can’t be at the expense of a free and open society
"At the heart of the Special Envoy’s Plan to Combat Antisemitism recently released by Jillian Segal, Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, is a flawed definition of ‘antisemitism’ published in 2016 by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). Unfortunately, it has since been unthinkingly adopted by many other organisations, including the Australian government in 2021. This is despite the fact that the full title of the document from which it is taken is the ‘IHRA non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism’ [my emphasis], which seems to imply: (a) it was not intended to inform any legislation, as the Segal report recommends; (b) it was a ‘working’ definition – in other words, a tentative definition needing further refinement before it can be considered authoritative." (27 Jul 2025)
Read more at Rationale Magazine
Go Gentle Australia / Voices from Voluntary Assisted Dying: Dementia decisions and the legal limits of assisted dying
"Casey Haining is a Research Fellow and PhD candidate at the Australian Centre for Health Law Research at QUT and also holds a research position at the University of Melbourne. Her academic work focuses on health law and end-of-life care, particularly voluntary assisted dying (VAD) and dementia. Casey discusses the complexities of VAD eligibility for people with dementia, especially around decision-making capacity and prognosis requirements under Australian legislation. She compares international approaches, such as those in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Canada, which permit access under broader criteria or via advance directives. Casey also shares insights into her current research, including an exploratory study on VAD and dementia in Australia, aiming to inform future policy development through citizen juries and practitioner engagement." (28 Jul 2025)
Listen to this podcast episode
Ali Moore, Georgie Purcell, and Evan Mulholland: What If Wednesday: What if we banned the Lord's Prayer from Parliament?
"Every Wednesday, Ali Moore takes a hypothetical question and asks "what if", taking your calls and talking to experts in the field. Today on 774 ABC Radio Melbourne Drive, What If Wednesday tackled the question: What if we banned the Lord's Prayer from Parliament Press play to hear both arguments from Georgie Purcell from the Animal Justice Party and Evan Mulholland from the Liberal Party." (30 Jul 2025)
Listen to this segment on ABC Radio Melbourne
Aleisha Orr: Don't think you're the type to join a cult? Gloria didn't think she was either
"In Australia, there is no clear-cut legal definition that separates a cult from other similar religious entities, including 'sects' or 'new religious movements'. However, the Victorian inquiry has said it will focus on 'groups that use manipulative or controlling tactics to dominate members'. ... The Victorian inquiry will also consider whether the techniques used by these groups amount to criminal coercion. Ella George, the chair of the Victorian Legislative Assembly Legal and Social Issues Committee, which is overseeing the inquiry, says there is legitimate concern about whether the techniques groups such as Shincheonji are using would "amount to coercion that should be criminalised". NSW and Queensland have recently criminalised coercive control through specific legislation; however, this is limited to domestic relationships." (2 Aug 2025)
Read more at SBS News
Jordan Baker: Private schools have a moral duty to pay council rates
"To swell its coffers, the council has repeatedly asked local private schools to pay voluntary rates. North Sydney’s is an extreme case – about 10 per cent of the council area’s land is occupied by schools, and many of those schools are very, very rich. In its 2024 report to the charities register, Shore valued its assets at $426.2 million, while Redlands’ were worth $205.8 million, and Wenona’s were worth $132 million. ... But every time the council asks, the schools say no. They argue that even a voluntary payment would interfere with their not-for-profit status under section 83C of the NSW Education Act, which would in turn affect their eligibility for government funding – although that’s a matter of interpretation. ... When schools are so wealthy that they can build opulent facilities – the $45 million Scientia building at the Sisters of Mercy’s Monte Sant’ Angelo, Shore’s $75 million physical education centre, Redlands’ $114 million revamp – they can afford to give something back, whether it’s in the form of voluntary rates, or opening their facilities to council-approved groups for free... To refuse to contribute when it’s warranted, these mostly-Christian schools are teaching their students an odd lesson; that we should find and exploit loopholes for our own benefit, and if we are privileged, we should hoard that wealth and give back only on our own terms." (2 Aug 2025)
Read more at The Sydney Morning Herald
Events and Campaigns
CURRENT
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.
Go Gentle Australia are fundraising to support a campaign for VAD in the NT. Learn more and donate on their 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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