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Australia is often described as a secular country, but the nation's relationship with religion is complex. Section 116 of the Australian Constitution prohibits the federal government from establishing a state church or religion, and the country's secularism is characterised by a form where religion is allowed in the public sphere. However, the state does interact with religion in several ways, such as funding religious schools and recognising religiously solemnised marriages. Australia's population is predominantly religious, with 61.1% identifying as Christian in the 2011 census, although the number of people identifying as having no religion is growing, with 38.9% selecting no religion in the most recent census. The country's secularism is a topic of ongoing debate, with a push for a stricter separation of church and state, and the role of religion in the public sphere is a highly contested issue.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Secularism in Australia | No state church |
| Section 116 of the Australian Constitution | Prohibits the federal government from establishing a state church or religion |
| Federal government funding | Funds schools run by religious organisations |
| Recognition of marriages | Recognises marriages conducted by religious celebrants |
| Population | 38.9% selected "no religion" in the latest census |
| Secularism type | Taylor's third form of secularism |
| Secular state formalization | Motion moved by Australian Democrats Senator Lyn Allison in 2006 |
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What You'll Learn
The Australian Constitution
> The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth.
This means that the federal government cannot establish a state church or religion. The constitution ensures the freedom to practise any religion and prohibits religious tests for public office.
However, the state does interact with religion. For example, the federal government funds schools run by religious organisations and recognises marriages conducted by religious celebrants. This means that Australia does not conform to Taylor's first form of secularism, which advocates for a strict separation of church and state.
Australia's population is predominantly religious, with 68.3% of the population identifying as religious in the 2011 census, although the number of people identifying as having no religion is growing. In the most recent census, 38.9% of Australians selected "no religion". This shift in religious demographics is affecting laws and policies in Australia, such as the debate around a Religious Discrimination Bill and the achievement of marriage equality.
Australia's form of secularism allows religion in the public sphere, as long as it remains one voice and option among many. This aligns with Taylor's third form of secularism, where accommodating religious practices does not transform a country into a religious state. The nature of Australian secularism and the state-religion relationship is complex, with ongoing debates and discussions about the role of religion in the public sphere and the preservation of secularism.
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Federal government funding of religious organisations
Australia is a secular country, but it has a unique form of secularism where religion is allowed in the public sphere. The country's secularism is based on the principle of state neutrality, which means that the government does not endorse any single religion over another. This is reflected in Section 116 of the Australian Constitution, which states that the Commonwealth shall not make any law establishing a religion or imposing religious observance, and that no religious test shall be required for any office or public trust.
However, the federal government does provide funding to religious organisations, primarily in the form of school funding. The government provides broad-based funding to religious schools and funds school chaplains for both public and private schools. This has been a topic of debate, with secularists arguing that government neutrality towards religions leads to a flawed democracy or a pluralistic theocracy. On the other hand, religious groups have expressed concern that the state is restricting them from exercising their religion by preventing them from criticising other groups or refusing to perform certain acts.
While Australia's secularism allows for the interaction between the state and religion, there are still some boundaries in place. For example, the United States Supreme Court has ruled that faith-based organisations may not use direct government support for inherently religious activities, such as religious worship, instruction, or proselytization. This means that religious organisations must separate their religious activities from the government-funded services they provide and carefully account for their use of government funds.
In addition to school funding, the federal government also recognises marriages conducted by religious celebrants. The Sex Discrimination Act of 1984 contains exemptions for bodies and educational institutions established for religious purposes, which allows them to discriminate on the basis of religion in certain situations. For instance, without these exemptions, the Catholic Church would be required to hire women as priests, which would interfere with their religious doctrine.
Overall, while Australia is a secular country, it has a unique form of secularism that allows for interaction between the state and religion. The federal government provides funding to religious organisations, primarily for schools, and recognises marriages conducted by religious celebrants. However, there are still boundaries in place to maintain the separation of church and state, such as restrictions on how religious organisations can use government funding and exemptions for religious institutions in anti-discrimination laws.
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Religious Discrimination Bill
Australia is a secular country, but it has a form of secularism where religion is allowed in the public sphere. Section 116 of the Australian Constitution prohibits the federal government from establishing a state church or religion. However, the state does interact with religion, such as through funding religious schools and recognising marriages conducted by religious celebrants.
In recent years, religious discrimination laws have been highly controversial in Australia. The debate centres around the role of religion in the public sphere and the relationship between the Australian state and religion. The Ruddock religious freedom review, launched after the legislation of marriage equality, found that Australia does not have a religious freedom problem. However, it recommended new legislative protections against religious discrimination.
In response, the Morrison government drafted the Religious Discrimination Bill, which aimed to prohibit discrimination against people on the basis of religion and protect students against discrimination. The bill also included exemptions for religious organisations and schools, permitting them to discriminate on the basis of religion in certain situations. For example, religious schools could discriminate against LGBTQIA+ students or staff under federal law. These exemptions were controversial and seen as inconsistent with Australian secularism, as they would allow employers and schools to discriminate against LGBTQIA+ individuals.
The bill sparked debate within the Liberal Party, with some MPs crossing the floor to support amendments that prohibited discrimination against LGBTQIA+ individuals. After the Labor Party won the 2022 federal election, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus asked the Australian Law Reform Commission to advise on amendments to federal law to ban discrimination by religious schools against LGBTQIA+ students and staff. The Labor Party's promise also included protecting people against discrimination on the basis of their religious beliefs or lack thereof.
The debate over religious discrimination laws in Australia highlights the complexity of the country's secularism and the ongoing negotiation between the state and religion.
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Marriage equality
Australia is a secular country, but the definition of secularism used is important. Australia's secularism is defined by a lack of state religion and freedom of religious exercise. The Australian Constitution prohibits the federal government from establishing a state religion or church. The state does, however, interact with religion. For example, the federal government funds religious schools and recognises marriages performed by religious celebrants.
The journey towards marriage equality in Australia was a long one. LGBTIQ+ Australians have historically suffered persecution, and calls for same-sex marriage gained strength in the community, with politicians introducing over 20 marriage equality bills to federal parliament between 2004 and 2016, all of which lapsed or were defeated. The socially progressive South Australian Labor government attempted to repeal laws criminalising homosexuality in the 1960s, but it was not until the murder of a gay law lecturer in 1972 that the premier, Don Dunstan, felt the community was ready for reform. In 2012, a civil union bill passed in the Australian Capital Territory, granting many of the same rights to same-sex couples as married couples, but this was struck down by the High Court in 2017.
The 2017 postal survey showed that Australians supported marriage equality, and the parliament voted to update the Marriage Act to reflect this. This move brought Australia in line with 27 other countries that recognise same-sex marriage, including New Zealand, Canada, the United States, and several South American and European countries. This change ensures that LGBTIQ+ Australians are equal under the law, reflecting a modern, inclusive, and fair Australia.
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The role of religion in the public sphere
Australia is often described as a secular country, but the role of religion in the public sphere is complex. The country's secularism is based on Section 116 of the Australian Constitution, which prohibits the federal government from establishing a state church or religion. This means that Australia has a form of secularism where religion is allowed in the public sphere, as long as it remains one voice and one option among many. This is known as Taylor's third form of secularism.
The Australian state does interact with religion in several ways. For example, the federal government funds schools run by religious organizations and recognizes marriages conducted by religious celebrants. Australia's population is predominantly religious, with 68.3% of the population identifying as religious in the 2011 census, although the number of people identifying as having no religion is growing. In the latest census, the number of Australians who selected "no religion" rose to 38.9%. This ongoing movement from religion to "no religion" is one manifestation of Australia's secularism.
The nature of Australian secularism and the state-religion relationship is a topic of ongoing debate. Some argue for a strict separation of church and state, which would involve removing religious references from statutory oaths and pledges, abolishing official parliamentary prayers, and removing tax advantages for religious purposes. Others advocate for a more pragmatic approach, allowing for exemptions for religious organizations and schools in anti-discrimination laws. For example, the federal Sex Discrimination Act 1984 contains exemptions for bodies and educational institutions established for religious purposes, such as allowing the Catholic Church to hire only men as priests.
The Australian state-religion relationship is also shaped by the need to accommodate minority faiths, which made up 8.2% of the population in 2016. There is a risk that policy decisions may unintentionally affect the religious beliefs and practices of minority faiths. This highlights the importance of a robust and respectful debate about freedom of religion and the place of religion in secular Australia.
In conclusion, Australia is a secular country, but its form of secularism allows for the presence of religion in the public sphere as long as it remains one voice among many. The role of religion in the public sphere is shaped by the complex interaction between the state, the majority religious groups, and minority faiths, with ongoing debates about the appropriate level of separation between church and state.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia is often described as a secular country, but the answer depends on the definition of secularism used. Australia has a form of secularism where religion is allowed in the public sphere, as long as it remains one voice and one option among many.
The Australian state-religion relationship is complex. The institutional separation of state and religion means Australia is described as a secular country. However, the state does interact with religion. For example, the federal government funds schools run by religious organisations and recognises marriages conducted by religious celebrants.
The ongoing movement from religion to "no religion" in Australia is one way the state-religion relationship manifests in practice. In the latest census, 38.9% of Australians selected "no religion", up from 30.1% in 2016. This shift in religious demographics has an impact on laws, such as the debate around marriage equality.
The legal basis for the separation of church and state in Australia is Section 116 of the Australian Constitution, which states that the Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, imposing any religious observance, or prohibiting the free exercise of any religion. It also states that no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth.
The Religious Discrimination Bill includes exemptions for religious organisations and religious schools, which is a common feature of anti-discrimination law. However, some argue that these exemptions permit religious bodies to discriminate on the basis of religion and move the state-religion relationship towards hostility or control of religion by the state.
