What’s Wrong with Tasmania’s Conversion Practices Bill
Published at AP, the Australian Presbyterian online journal, Emeritus Professor Patrick Parkinson AM shares his concerns with the proposed Tasmanian bill –
“…The Bill is being proposed by people who believe that there is a serious problem in the Tasmanian community that can only be addressed by some of the most draconian legislation ever to be introduced into an Australian Parliament. However, the evidence that there are still conversion practices in Tasmania today is very weak. No-one is claiming that the old unethical conversion practices used decades ago by some health professionals are still being practised. No credible allegations have been made that people have been subjected to abusive therapies to change their gender identity.
When a law creates a lot of uncertainty, it has unintended consequences. This law will create a chilling effect on the provision of mental health treatment for vulnerable young Tasmanians. It will also cause difficulties and expense for businesses and for organisations that involve volunteers. The problems in this Bill are not minor and cannot be fixed by amendment at committee stage. They go to the very heart of what the Bill is trying to do. …”
– A long and important contribution.
Photo thanks to Anglican Media Sydney.
Keep your word, Premier
“Representatives from Anglican churches across Sydney and the Illawarra have urged the NSW Government to amend guidance issued under the State’s conversion practices legislation, saying it breaches election promises.
The Conversion Practices Ban Act 2024 prohibits practices intended to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Bishop Michael Stead, who led negotiations with the Government two years ago, warned that advice published by the Attorney-General’s Department effectively erased protections for voluntary prayer and pastoral care. …”
– Russell Powell reports at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Confusion over the Religious Question on the Australian Census — Michael Stead and Mark McCrindle
An important and timely episode from The Pastor’s Heart –
“Answering ‘Anglican’, ‘Catholic’, or ‘Baptist’ on the Census isn’t a test of church attendance.
Before filling out your form, hear researcher Mark McCrindle, and Bishop Michael Stead discuss
- What the Bureau of Statistics is actually measuring.
- Why writing your specific denomination helps community planning more than generic labels.
- How census data impacts real-world support—like hospital, prison, and military chaplaincy. …
The Bureau of Statistics definition of religious affiliation is simple: it’s the faith group you associate with, even if that differs from your active practice or participation.”
– Watch here.
Related:
Count us in! – SydneyAnglicans.net.
Freedom Matters June 2026
The latest episode of Freedom Matters – for June 2026 – has been released – by Freedom for Faith.
“Our focus today is the Human Rights Bill that’s been introduced by the Greens. We’re going to look at that bill and think about what are the implications for religious freedom in particular.
The Human Rights Bill was introduced by the New South Wales Greens back in March of 2025 … was referred to … a parliamentary inquiry, in March of this year … with the submissions closing on the 3rd of July. There are some real challenges in this bill for religious freedom.”
– Bishop Michael Stead is Chair of Freedom for Faith. He is joined by Monica Doumit, Chancellor of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and Freedom for Faith board member.
How the World has Changed since Same-Sex Marriage
Mark Powell writes at AP, the national Australian Presbyterian journal –
“The challenge for Christians today is the same as it was for God’s people when they were in exile in Babylon. Whenever an orchestra of musical instruments were played, the people were told to bow down to the golden image, or else.
This is exactly where we all are again today. Except this time the image has every colour of the rainbow. Whatever is threatened if we don’t, it remains binding that we cannot bow down to their image but must continue to worship God alone. …”
– Read it here.
Spreading God’s word, literally
“Sam Freney, the translation consultant for Bible Society Australia, gave a demonstration of how hard it is for those without a Bible in their heart language, at a recent supporters’ lunch. He began with reading this in Pitjanjatjara:…”
– A vital endeavour. Story via John Sandeman at The Other Cheek.
Also see this excellent Bible Society video which features Nungalinya College in Darwin. From this Bible Society page –
Richard Johnson: Laying the foundation stone of the Australian evangelical church
“When we think of the great evangelical movements of the late eighteenth century, our minds often turn to the Clapham Sect, those remarkable men and women whose faith reshaped British public life and whose influence extended around the world.
Figures such as William Wilberforce, Henry Thornton and Hannah More loom large in this story. Richard Johnson, the first evangelical chaplain to Australia, does not.
Johnson was never formally part of the Clapham Sect, nor was he a central figure in the closely related Eclectic Society, a small, but influential gathering of evangelical clergy and laypeople committed to deep theological reflection and gospel advance. And yet, without these two groups—and the prayerful vision that animated them—Richard Johnson would almost certainly never have set foot on Australian soil. …”
– Moore College Principal Mark Thompson reminds us of the legacy of Richard Johnson.
James Valentine, Euthanasia and How Christians Should Speak of Death
This week at The Pastor’s Heart, Dominic Steele introduces a topic which is “delicate, important, and pastorally urgent” –
“How should Christians respond when voluntary assisted dying is publicly framed as dignified, compassionate and courageous?
James Valentine has been rightly honoured as a much-loved broadcaster in the wake of his death last week. But alongside the tributes there’s been significant reflection on his choice to use voluntary assisted dying in the language of control, dignity, generosity and dying ‘his way’.
How do we honour and grieve a much-loved public figure, while still asking serious ethical and pastoral questions about voluntary assisted dying? Has the public conversation shifted from VAD as a last resort to VAD as a normal end-of-life choice?
As we think carefully about death, autonomy, compassion, medicine, conscience and Christian hope we are joined by:
Dr Megan Best, senior researcher and professor of bioethics at the Institute of Ethics & Society at the University of Notre Dame Australia & Director of Ethicenter and
Emeritus Professor Michael Quinlan of the University of Notre Dame. Michael is also on the board of Freedom for Faith and Ethical End of Life Care.”
– A very sobering and important topic. Watch or listen here.
David McDonald to be The Gospel Coalition Australia National Director
News from The Gospel Coalition Australia –
The Council and Board of The Gospel Coalition Australia are delighted to announce the appointment of David McDonald as the National Director of TGCA. …”
– Read here.
The Reality of Biological Sex in Law — one step closer
“One of the deeply contested issues in Western societies at the moment is whether the law recognises the reality of biological sex. This is not only a question for faith groups, but it is one that most religious traditions regard as crucial – that there is a difference between men and women, and this difference can matter in some important contexts. But the question is also important for others in society, as this fundamental feature of humanity comes under challenge from those who claim that sex (or gender) is changeable.
The decision of Moshinsky J in the Federal Court of Australia, in Lesbian Action Group Inc v Australian Human Rights Commission [2026] FCA 432 (15 April 2026), arguably moves the law of Australia one step closer to acknowledging biological reality. …”
– Neil Foster shares his opinion on the latest developments – at Law and Religion Australia.
Photo: Associate Professor Neil Foster speaking at a Diocese of Sydney Safe Ministry conference.
The Rights and Wrongs of Rights
“Dear Friends, Monday night was a tumultuous evening at the Cathedral and I thank God for the hundred or so who attended Evening Prayer, despite the thousands outside. I am thankful for those who attended to site security and those who ensured the PA was loud enough to hear the Bible readings and prayers, despite the cacophony.
I am sorry to those who could not find a way through the crowds but I am grateful to God we were all able to get away safely, even though only one exit remained passable with all other exits effectively blocked.
Sadly almost 1500 school students missed out on their co-curriculaar activities that afternoon, such as music lessons, or sports training, or drama classes. And I think the Red Cross Donor Centre lost upwards of 30 lifesaving blood donations as a result of people cancelling or being unable to walk in because of the protest. …”
– In the current Cathedral Newsletter, Dean of St. Andrew’s Cathedral Sandy Grant recognises other people’s freedom of speech and assembly but speaks out for all who have been told to “stay away”.
(Image from the Cathedral Newsletter.)
Richard Johnson: The first chaplain of New South Wales
From Moore College’s Moore in the Word podcast –
“In this episode and in honour of Moore Theological College’s 170th anniversary, we bring you a special episode taken from the 2025 Donald Robinson Library lectures on the topic of ‘The Clapham Sect and their influence on Sydney’.
Mark Thompson, Principal of Moore Theological College, introduces us to Richard Johnson and the story of how he ended up becoming the first chaplain to the fledgling colony in New South Wales, laying the spiritual foundations of Christian witness. Drawing on personal letters and historical records, Mark traces Johnson’s courage, hardship and lasting legacy in shaping gospel ministry in early Australia.”
– Listen here – or on the Moore in the Word page.
If you would prefer watch, rather than just listen, you can watch all eight talks from the Library lectures at this playlist.
New federal hate speech laws- impact on religious freedom?
Associate Professor Neil Foster shares his opinion on the ‘“Hate Speech” laws –
“After the dreadful terrorist incident at Bondi on December 14 2025, where 15 folk from the Jewish community were murdered, the Federal government has introduced new ‘hate speech’ laws at the national level.
Whenever there is a proposal to target ‘hate speech’ there is always a potential danger that unpopular religious views will be caught up in the ban. However, it seems that the recently enacted changes will have little impact on religious freedom in Australia, except where religion is offered as a reason to justify calls for violence against others.
In this post I will try to spell out what the changes are, and why they seem to be a reasonable response to the danger of terrorist violence. …”
He does note that, “Perhaps surprisingly there is no clear definition of ‘hate group’ provided in the amendments.”
– Read it all at Law and Religion Australia.
New CEO for Bible Society Australia
“Bible Society Australia (BSA) has appointed long-serving mission leader, Chris Melville, as its new Chief Executive Officer …
Mr Melville has been serving as Interim CEO for the past six months and previously held the role of Chief of Mission, where he oversaw BSA’s domestic and international mission work. …”
– News and photo via John Sandeman at The Other Cheek.
The faith of our fathers and my hope for Australia
Andrew Hastie, Federal Member for Canning in Western Australia, shares this thoughts for Australia Day.
Regardless of one’s political persuasion, this is worth reading. It’s also worth contemplating how we might gently point people to true hope in Christ, in whatever realm of life we find ourselves.
And it’s also a reminder to pray for members of Parliament.
“Let me share a memory that gives me hope for my country, from the Sydney suburb of Ashfield, where I saw my father weave together a people from vastly different ethnic groups. And I will offer my thoughts on the kind of politics that will let us repair a fraying nation.
This hope is a gift from my father. At Bondi Beach in 2025, we saw how one man’s hatred was passed to his son. Decades earlier, in Ashfield, my father passed to me his love for others as he faithfully served his church community. His example is why I do not despair for our country and our future. …”
Photo: The front doors of Ashfield Presbyterian Church.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…