Religious freedom in ‘the most godless place under Heaven’: making policy for religion in Australia

Abstract

abstract ; ?>The appropriate role of religion in Australian society has been debated since colonization. Recently the Australian government has proposed legislative changes which, it is argued, will protect the right to religious freedom. These proposed changes have been criticised from all sides, providing evidence of ongoing division with the Australian public regarding the appropriate relationship between religion and the state. While history does not offer any easy answers to these complex challenges, in this article I suggest that understanding the historical relationship between religion and government in Australia can clarify the choices that face contemporary policymakers. I suggest three directions for policy (and law) reform in relation to religious institutions: protection of the rights of Indigenous people to practice Indigenous spirituality; protection of religious minorities; and greater limits on the presence of religious institutions in the ‘third sector’ of welfare provision.