Weekend Wrap for 30 November 2025

NSW: An alleged NSW cult leader accused of grooming a child for more than a decade has been granted bail after his lawyer argued there was a "real question" as to whether prosecutors would be able to prove his intentions. William "Little Pebble" Kamm has pleaded not guilty and is due to face a trial next June over five charges, including two alleged breaches of an extended supervision order, two counts of child grooming and one count of inciting a person into a sexual act in circumstances of aggravation. Crown solicitor Hannah Fitzgerald argued Mr Kamm had a history of "using his religion to gain access to vulnerable children" and would remain an unacceptable risk to the community. (24 Nov 2025)
Read more at ABC News

NSW: Councillors who chose to have acts of Christian worship retained in formal government meetings over the option of holding prayers in private have argued that the decision was about “returning spirituality in the community” but “not about pushing any religion”. At the October meeting of Oberon Council, located in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, councillors rejected a proposal to amend the Code of Meeting Practice to replace prayers with a secular statement of civic responsibilities and a period of quiet contemplation. The council voted 6-3 to continue imposing prayers as part of its formal proceedings, with a draft of the Code of Meeting Practice now open for public feedback through the council’s website. (26 Nov 2025)
Read more at the Rationalist Society of Australia

VIC: The Anglican Bishop of Ballarat says regional dioceses around Australia are facing financial pressure and potential closure due to having to pay millions of dollars to abuse victim-survivors. In his 2025 "presidential address" Bishop Garry Weatherill said his diocese is in a "very difficult" financial position after having to pay almost $6 million to survivors of abuse over the past decade. He said the diocese had sold all of its Ballarat properties and one in Warrnambool to help pay victim-survivors through civil claims and a redress scheme. (27 Nov 2025)
Read more at ABC News

WA: Hannah Beazley, the Minister for Local Government, Disability Services, Volunteering, Youth and the Gascoyne region has used a speech at the 2025 Crown Pride Luncheon to highlight the growing level of homophobic and transphobic hate speech in Australian society. Beazley, who has also been given the responsibility of guiding the Cook government’s LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Strategy, acknowledged that is recent months members of the LGBTIQA+ communities have been subjected to a wave of abuse both online and in their daily lives. (27 Nov 2025)
Read more at OUTinPerth

NSW: A private school principal who shredded notes containing details of a youth ministry officer grooming underage students was promoted within the diocese two weeks before the offender was found guilty on multiple counts of child rape. Youth ministry officer Conor Hudson was found guilty on seven counts of sexual misconduct involving children at MacKillop College in Port Macquarie in May. Cath Eichmann, who was the school’s principal from 2020 to 2024, was made aware of the grooming allegations in 2021. However, a court found Eichmann dismissed the claims, reprimanded the staff member who brought the allegations to her and destroyed the notes. Eichmann was promoted to the region’s assistant director within the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools in early May. (27 Nov 2025)
Read more at the Sydney Morning Herald

SA: A prominent anti-abortion campaigner, who was banned from the South Australian parliament and accused of bullying, claims her employer has granted her immunity from complaints from anyone who is pro-choice. Anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe, who has pledged to make abortion “unthinkable”, says the University of Adelaide, which employs her as a law professor, has agreed that those with ideologically opposed viewpoints to hers will be deemed “vexatious”, and any complaints they make about her will not be acted upon. In response to questions about her claims, the university said only that it “considers each matter on its merits in line with the university’s enterprise agreement and applicable policies and procedures”.(28 Nov 2025)
Read more at The Guardian

NSW: The Minns Labor Government has passed legislation ensuring people can continue attending their places of worship without being blocked, harassed or intimidated. Legislation passed NSW Parliament on Thursday afternoon confirming police have the power to move on protesters who affect someone's ability to enter or leave their place of worship. Attorney General Michael Daley said: "No one should be harassed or intimidated trying to attend their church, synagogue, temple or mosque. This kind of behaviour is unacceptable and has no place in NSW. Following the decision of the Supreme Court, we have reintroduced a move on power which balances community protection and the right to protest." (28 Nov 2025)
Read more at Mirage News