Weekend Wrap for 9 June 2024

Census21 – Not Religious?: Census21 campaign responds to church leaders’ call for government interference
"The Census21 – Not Religious? campaign has raised concerns with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about the Catholic Church's calls for the government to interfere in the work of reformulating the Census religion question. In a letter to Mr Albanese and Assistant Minister Andrew Leigh, our spokesperson Michael Dove said the Census21 campaign supported the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) testing of an alternative that would 'undoubtedly increase the accuracy and meaningfulness of Census data'. In recent weeks, Catholic Church leaders have been lobbying the Prime Minister to reject the proposed change to the religion question that would introduce a filter question and remove the inherent bias in the text of the question." (2 Jun 2024)
Read more at the Census21 website

Marcus Middleton: Archbishop warns to never take religious freedom for granted
"Speaking on Friday to the Sydney Catholic Business Network, Archbishop Fisher noted it was exactly one-year to the day since the ACT Government “forcibly acquired the Church’s land, operations and staff with, to date, zero compensation” and spoke of the battle against faith being fought on multiple fronts including the areas of health, education, sports and culture. In a packed room, the archbishop painted a dystopian picture of a future where faith leaders might have to email homilies or sermons to a ‘Religious Safety Commissioner’ for approval." (2 June 2024)
Read more at The Catholic Weekly

Rodney Croome: Tasmania shows there's nothing to fear from stopping bias in faith schools
"Some Tasmanian politicians and religious leaders are not telling the whole truth about discrimination in faith-based schools. There is currently a campaign to scuttle the Albanese Government's proposal to ban discrimination against LGBTIQA+ teachers and students in faith-based schools. The proposal is based, in turn, on a recommendation from the Australian Law Reform Commission that was handed down in March. Those leading the campaign against the Federal Government's proposal say that preventing discrimination will stop schools selecting staff and students who conform to their values. They say the identity of religious schools is at stake and have labelled the proposal an "existential threat" to such schools. But what they fail to acknowledge is that Tasmanian law has prevented such discrimination for 26 years without any discernible problems." (3 Jun 2024)
Read more at The Examiner

Brian Greig: Religious freedom has become a catchword for what is discrimination
"In May, shadow attorney-general Michaelia Cash wrote an opinion piece in these pages that claimed Australia was losing its religious freedom. The senator said she had meetings with faith leaders who “feel they are under attack by the States”. Curiously, nowhere in that article did the senator spell out exactly what these “attacks” were, or give examples. Equally, faith leaders talked only in vague terms about wanting to “maintain their ethos” and ensure that teachers “model their values”. I suggest the reason Senator Cash and those who promote these arguments use camouflaged language is because the truth is too revealing." (3 Jun 2024)
Read more at The Nightly

Susan Carland: These chilling voicemails prove Islamophobia is thriving – despite one senator’s callous dismissal
"In light of the established facts, [Shadow Minister for Education, Senator Sarah] Henderson’s comments were astounding. But what was most revealing was the denial of any instance of Islamophobia while condemning antisemitism. ... Henderson’s comments were revealing because they were so adamantly singular. Like Islamophobia, antisemitism in Australia is a documented, growing reality. So why was the senator denying not just a rise in Islamophobia, but its very existence? Stating that even raising Islamophobia was implying a 'false equivalence' with antisemitism is the revelation. Apparently, there is one true and serious bigotry warranting attention, and a pretend one. And this suggests her engagement with antisemitism is less a genuine and overarching commitment to a cohesive country without bigotries that negatively impact all Australians, and more a callous political posturing." (4 June 2024)
Read more at The Age

Ben White, Lindy Willmott and Madeleine Archer: Voluntary assisted dying laws have been passed in the ACT. Here’s what happens next
"The Australian Capital Territory parliament passed its voluntary assisted dying law yesterday by 20 to five. The ACT now joins the six Australian states, all of which have their own voluntary assisted dying laws. Like the states, the ACT law will begin after an 18-month implementation period. So eligible residents will be able to access voluntary assisted dying from November 3 2025. This leaves only the Northern Territory without such a law. The NT government has appointed a panel to investigate the issue that is due to report next month." (6 Jun 2024)
Read more at The Conversation

Paul Collins: Religion and the census
"Apparently, the ABS listened to Census21 – Not Religious? because a further media release from the group praised the Bureau for taking ‘on board the public’s concerns (i.e. Census21’s concerns) regarding the biased nature of the religion question and the desire for a more acceptable evidence base to support public policy and funding decisions relating to religion’ (December 29, 2023). There’s the nub of their argument; it’s really about ‘funding’ faith groups and churches in their ministries of education, social welfare, health, aged care and many other services they provide. In the end these arguments come back to wanting to push religion out of public life." (8 Jun 2024)
Read more at Pearls & Irritations
(Note: this article asserts that the proposed 2026 census religion question will include a 'No' box but not a 'Yes' box -- this is incorrect.)

Gerard Henderson: Goulburn school strike strategy would fail today, as it did in 1962
"The Goulburn school strike of six decades ago is in the news again because of the discussions between the Albanese government and members of the Catholic hierarchy over the foreshadowed religious discrimination legislation. On June 1, [journalist Joe] Kelly reported that Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher had told a meeting of the Catholic Business Network that he was hearing suggestions that the church should 'do another Goulburn (and close its schools) if it was denied by legislation the ability to take religion into account with respect to employment and ethos'. However, Fisher recognises that such a strategy might backfire. Moreover, it also would rob the community of needed services. Correct. The Goulburn strike was symbolic. State aid was gained due to the operation of conventional politics. It is likely that politics will result in a stalemate – for the moment at least – due to political opposition to the government’s proposals." (8 Jun 2024)
Read more at The Australian