How free is your religion?

Posted on October 24, 2008 
Filed under News

Dr. Andrew CameronDr Andrew Cameron, chairman of the (Sydney) Diocesan Social Issues Executive –

“The ‘Freedom of Religion and Belief Project’ is an initiative of the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC, formerly HREOC), the government’s main advisory body on human rights.

Researchers for the AHRC want to study the state of religious freedom in Australia. Their research will cover a variety of areas, and they will produce a report to the Federal government in 2010 which will probably recommend legislative changes…

The project could be a good thing if it brings to light any inappropriate limitations on the freedom of religion and belief. Or, it may be unhelpful if it recommends changes that damage the delicate balance of religion freedoms that have developed in Australian life. We don’t know yet. But this is an important enough project that some of us want to do our part to be actively involved as citizens.”

Dr Cameron, is presenting a seminar on the project next Thursday –

‘Freedom of Religion and Belief Project’ Information Hour

A seminar presented by Andrew Cameron,
chairman, Diocesan Social Issues Executive

Thursday 30th October 2008
5.30pm-6.30pm
Chapter House, St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney Square.
No RSVP necessary.

Only a limited number of copies of the relevant Australian Human Rights Commission discussion paper will be available. You can download your own copy here before the seminar. It might help to skim pp. 8-11 of that paper before the meeting.

For further background, see Social Issues briefing #079 (PDF file, direct link).

For more information from the AHRC, see
Freedom of Religion and Belief in the 21st Century and
Freedom of Religion and Belief.