 Part 1: AHRC - Freedom of Religion and Belief
Printed in Salt Shakers Journal – November 2008.
Freedom of religion is under threat again in Australia!
Ten years ago, in 1998, the federal Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) ran
an Inquiry into religious freedom and published a report called Article 18: Freedom of religion and
belief. It investigated Australia’s ‘obligations’ under the UN’s International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights.
HREOC’s report proposed the establishment of a ‘Religious Freedom Act’ and suggested that all
religious beliefs were equal. The Report went to the Parliament - thankfully the Howard government
opposed the idea and no new law eventuated.
But HREOC, now called the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has launched a new
Project to evaluate the implementation of the Article 18 Report, the impact of Section 116 of the
Constitution and consider the “Roles, rights and responsibilities of religious organisations” and
more! Discussion Paper/Submissions
On 17 September AHRC launched a Discussion Paper for their new Inquiry called ‘Freedom of
religion and belief in the 21st century’. Prior to that they had already held consultations with
various religious leaders around Australia.
Now they are asking for submissions from the PUBLIC - yes, that means YOU!
Submissions close on 31 January 2009. Please read the Discussion Paper.
Next month we’ll give a detailed analysis and some suggestions for your submission.
A special section of the AHRC website has been set up for this Inquiry - it has the Discussion Paper
and more reports.
See www.hreoc.gov.au/frb/index.html
The Inquiry
The Inquiry is being run in “partnership” with Monash University, RMIT and the Australian
Multicultural Foundation (AMF). What that really means is that the key people are Gary Bouma
from Monash (who acted as an expert witness for the Islamic Council in the Catch the Fire
vilification case), Des Cahill (RMIT) and Hass Dellal (a Muslim who runs the AMF).
These men also wrote the book called Religion, Cultural Diversity and Safeguarding Australia for
an Immigration Department project in 2004. It proposed a rotating roster of prayers in federal
Parliament, a national interfaith ‘sacred space’ and a Multifaith Council made up of representatives of
all religions. That project also included a book to encourage local Councils to establish Interfaith
Networks, and a sanitised guide to Islam. AHRC notes that the current Inquiry builds on these
documents as well as ‘Article 18’.
Race and religion
In 2003, HREOC did a report called ISMA, which interviewed Muslims. They asked to be covered by
the federal racial vilification law - because Jewish people are considered a ‘race’. But Islam is not a
race, it is a religion. This new Inquiry highlights issues relating to Islam post 9/11 and promotes
interfaith and multi-faith issues.
Although state governments have implemented religious discrimination and in some cases religious
vilification laws (Vic, ACT, Qld, Tas), the federal government has never enacted any religious
discrimination or vilification laws.
This Inquiry presents a major threat to our religious freedom - we must respond!
Part 2: AHRC - Freedom of [from?] Religion
Printed in Salt Shakers Journal, December 2008.
Last month we told you about the disturbing Inquiry being conducted by the Australian Human
Rights Commission (AHRC), called Freedom of Religion and Belief in the 21st century. They’ve
published a Discussion Paper that outlines the aims of the Inquiry.
Submissions have been called for - YES, that means we ALL have an opportunity to tell them what
WE think!
Discussion paper overview The 16 page Discussion paper provides the background and context to the Freedom of Religion and Belief in the 21st Century project, outlines the objectives and focus (including questions), and details the consultation process.
Major Objective The major objective is to produce a report which will give “recommendations for promoting freedom
of religion and belief (including secular belief) in Australia”.
The project will examine the emergence of a multi-faith Australia; the shift away from mainstream Christianity; the growing interface between science and faith; and the privatisation of government services.
Seven Areas
The Discussion Paper lists seven areas for consideration - each of these includes a number of
questions. Please obtain the Discussion Paper to read the questions as we can’t print them all here!
Here are just a few of the questions - to illustrate the broad scope of this Inquiry:
* How are federal and state and territory governments managing incitement to religious hatred, and
the question of control and responsibility?
* Would a legislated national Charter of Rights add to these freedoms of religion and belief?
* Is there religious radicalism and political extremism in Australia? If so, what are the risks to
Australia?
* How is diverse sexuality perceived within faith communities?
* Do you consider environmental concern to be an influence shaping spiritualities and value systems?
* Are there religious groups, practices and beliefs that you think are of concern to Australians?
Can you see from these questions the direction the AHRC wants to go?
What does ‘sexuality’ or politics have to do with religious freedom? What has the ‘environment’ got
to do with religious freedom?
Who do they think the ‘religious radicals’ are in Australia? Are they talking about ‘fundamentalist’
Christians being involved in politics?
Is the real purpose to tell religions what their beliefs should be? Is their purpose to create a level
playing field?
ACTION:
PLEASE write a submission! We need to tell the Australian Human Rights Commission
our views - otherwise they’ll just hear from everyone else!
Submissions DUE by 31 January 2009.
VISIT our campaign page - it has information for your submission - and live links to the Discussion
Paper and website. Click here for the Inquiry website.
SEND your submission by email to: frb@humanrights.gov.au
Alternatively post it to
Freedom of Religion and Belief in the 21st Century Submission, Race
Discrimination Unit: Education and Partnerships Section,
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity
Commission,
GPO Box 5218,
Sydney NSW 2001.
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