Secular Action Collective

Towards a secular Australia

According to the 2006 Census, the non-religious make up 18.7% of Australia’s population. Given these figures we believe that religious viewpoints have a disproportionate influence within the Australian media. Initiatives such as The National Schools Chaplaincy Program and laws restricting or prohibiting access to abortion, voluntary euthanasia and gay marriage show that our politicians constantly bow to a visual, vocal fundamentalist Christian minority. 

Campaigns only work when persuasive arguments are backed by public support. State Humanist societies can present compelling arguments for policy change to our MPs but we need support from members of the public who can recognise fairness and sense in what we say. HSQ is looking to build a network of people to write to letters to the editor whenever articles relevant to secularists appear in the media. Even if your letters are not published newspaper editors gage public opinion on the letters they receive. Christian groups such as, The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) know this only to well. The ACL is highly motivated, organised and pro-active. Secularists need to find the fire in their belly, to become as well coordinated as groups such as the ACL, to speak out on any issue where religious views obstruct the individual’s right to self determination.
Our aim is to build a nationwide network of people committed to campaigning for a more ethical secular Australia.

If you share our vision please lend your support to The Secular Action Collective. We need volunteers to write letters and submissions, read newspapers, online news, listen to radio programs and to inform us when relevant topics appear in the media. To be truly effective letters to the editor need to be submitted soon after publication, therefore we would like to build an email and SMS list so we can take action within hours of an article being published.

If you wish to join us or find out about our various campaigns pleases submit a
contact form.

According to the 2006 Census, the non-religious make up 18.7% of Australia’s population. Given these figures we believe that religious viewpoints have a disproportionate influence within the Australian media. Initiatives such as The National Schools Chaplaincy Program and laws restricting or prohibiting access to abortion, voluntary euthanasia and gay marriage show that our politicians constantly bow to a visual, vocal fundamentalist Christian minority. 

Campaigns only work when persuasive arguments are backed by public support. State Humanist societies can present compelling arguments for policy change to our MPs but we need support from members of the public who can recognise fairness and sense in what we say. HSQ is looking to build a network of people to write to letters to the editor whenever articles relevant to secularists appear in the media. Even if your letters are not published newspaper editors gage public opinion on the letters they receive. Christian groups such as, The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) know this only to well. The ACL is highly motivated, organised and pro-active. Secularists need to find the fire in their belly, to become as well coordinated as groups such as the ACL, to speak out on any issue where religious views obstruct the individual’s right to self determination.
Our aim is to build a nationwide network of people committed to campaigning for a more ethical secular Australia.

If you share our vision please lend your support to The Secular Action Collective. We need volunteers to write letters and submissions, read newspapers, online news, listen to radio programs and to inform us when relevant topics appear in the media. To be truly effective letters to the editor need to be submitted soon after publication, therefore we would like to build an email and SMS list so we can take action within hours of an article being published.

If you wish to join us or find out about our various campaigns pleases submit a
contact form.



Mr. Ron Williams expected his children to enjoy a public education in a secular state school. His family experience, since 2006, has shown that the federally-funded National School Chaplaincy Program (NSCP) has intervened, creating a non-secular pro-Christian culture in the state schools his children attended.

After years of correspondence and meetings with state education executives as well as personal meetings with two Education Ministers and their Directors General, in 2009, a frustrated Mr. Williams sought advice regarding a possible High Court challenge to the constitutional legality of the Commonwealth providing treasury funds to the National School Chaplaincy Program. In February 2010, Horowitz & Bilinsky accepted the case.

This matter concerns more people than the Williams family from Queensland. It concerns all Australians, of all faiths and none, who support the secular ‘wall of separation’ concept concerning church and state. This ‘wall of separation’ is required to safeguard our multicultural, multi-faith  and non-faith liberal democracy that has become the hallmark of the civilised 21st century nation Australia rightfully claims to be.

Considerable financial support from the broader Australian community will be required by Mr. Williams in order to meet his expected, and unexpected, legal costs. Whatever your faith position might be, this is a significant legal exercise aimed at ensuring Australia really is a secular nation-state, as our forebears clearly intended it to be.

Please secure a stake in your nation's secular future by donating as much as you feel comfortably able to. To donate visit:
highcourtchallenge.com

 



Mr. Ron Williams expected his children to enjoy a public education in a secular state school. His family experience, since 2006, has shown that the federally-funded National School Chaplaincy Program (NSCP) has intervened, creating a non-secular pro-Christian culture in the state schools his children attended.

After years of correspondence and meetings with state education executives as well as personal meetings with two Education Ministers and their Directors General, in 2009, a frustrated Mr. Williams sought advice regarding a possible High Court challenge to the constitutional legality of the Commonwealth providing treasury funds to the National School Chaplaincy Program. In February 2010, Horowitz & Bilinsky accepted the case.

This matter concerns more people than the Williams family from Queensland. It concerns all Australians, of all faiths and none, who support the secular ‘wall of separation’ concept concerning church and state. This ‘wall of separation’ is required to safeguard our multicultural, multi-faith  and non-faith liberal democracy that has become the hallmark of the civilised 21st century nation Australia rightfully claims to be.

Considerable financial support from the broader Australian community will be required by Mr. Williams in order to meet his expected, and unexpected, legal costs. Whatever your faith position might be, this is a significant legal exercise aimed at ensuring Australia really is a secular nation-state, as our forebears clearly intended it to be.

Please secure a stake in your nation's secular future by donating as much as you feel comfortably able to. To donate visit:
highcourtchallenge.com