Freedom of Religion and Belief in the 21st Century
The Commission, in association with the Australian Multicultural Foundation, RMIT University and Monash University, is preparing a report on Freedom of Religion and Belief in the 21st Century.
We have worked with Islamic faith communities, as well as other interfaith, faith and civil society organisations, to record their concerns and gather ideas to build a socially cohesive and harmonious society.
The research will examine whethe cultural rights and beliefs are impinging on human rights; look at the connections between religion, political and cultural aspirations; and assess whether new technologies are changing the role, practice, promotion or evolution of religious belief and behaviour.
The report will also outline recent changes to the law in Australia and whether they have had an impact on freedom of religion and belief and cultural identity.
This research project will build on issues raised in the Commission’s 1998 report, Freedom of Religion and Belief; and the 2004 report ‘Cultural Diversity and Safeguarding Australia’, produced by the Australian Multicultural Foundation.
The Freedom of Religion and Belief project consists of the following elements:
- Consultation with Australian heads of faith
- Consultation with national and state/ territory governments and NGOs
- Consultation with the Australian public via a national call for submissions
- A series of commissioned papers related to faith and society
The project began in December 2007 when the Steering Committee for the project met for the first time. The final report is expected to be released in late 2010. More details about the release date will be posted on this page as they become available.
Discussion paper and call for submissions
On 17 September 2008, the Commission launched a discussion paper and a call for submissions. Read the Freedom of Religion and Belief in the 21st Century Discussion Paper
Tom Calma, National Race Discrimination Commissioner, and Laurie Ferguson, Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services, co-launched the discussion paper that guided that national call for submissions and consultations.
Consultations with heads of faith, governments and NGO’s took place from mid-2008 to mid-2009. 210 senior representatives were consulted in 23 group consultations and 30 interviews.
Click here to view the submissions received.
Supplementary Papers
A series of supplementary papers will also be written for the final report. The topics of these papers are:
- Freedom of religion and belief and physical and mental wellbeing – written by VicHealth
- Religion and the arts – written by Professor Amareswar Galla (University of Queensland)
- The law, judiciary and religion – Associate Professor Carolyn Evans (University of Melbourne); and Maria Dimopoulos and Justice Nahum Mushin
- The media, journalism and freedom of religion and belief - written by Professor Lynette Sheridan-Burns (University of Western Sydney)
- Indigenous spiritual expression and freedom of religion and belief – written by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)
- The intersection of freedom of religion and gender equality – written by Ghena Krayem, Sister Trish Madigan and Peta Pellach
- Freedom of religion and belief and global peace – written by Professor Kevin Clements (University of Otago)
- Inter-faith dialogue as a means of peace-building and public safety – Anna Halafoff (Monash University)
- Freedom of religion and belief and secularism – written by Dr Nicholas Tonti-Filippini (Australian Catholic University)
- Demographic analysis of submissions - Professor Kevin Dunn (University of Western Sydney)
