Australian Government introduces Indigenous referendum bill in parliament
Sydney, AustraliaReuters The Australian Government on Thursday took the first formal step towards holding a referendum to recognise Indigenous people in the constitution and set up an Indigenous “Voice to Parliament” to advise lawmakers on matters that impact their lives. Introducing the bill in parliament, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the referendum, to be held between […]
Australia’s Albanese reveals referendum question on Indigenous recognition
Sydney, Australia Reuters The Australian Government on Thursday revealed the question it wants to put to a vote in a proposed federal referendum later this year to constitutionally recognise its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Australians will be asked to vote between October and December on amending the constitution to create a consultative committee […]
Essay: Of God, governments and trust
TIM COSTELLO reflects on former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’ recent comments about trust…
Essay: Freeing our democracy from the tentacles of coal and gas
THEA ORMEROD, president of the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, calls for action to address the hold that she argues coal and gas industries have over politics in Australia…
Faith leaders join Afghan-Australians, veterans in call for Australian Government to accept more Afghan refugees
Sydney, Australia The Australian Government has told refugee advocates it will “think about” increasing the number of Afghan refugees it settles after pulling out of the country from a 20-year military engagement last year. A delegation of faith leaders, veterans and advocates on Monday said Immigration Minister Alex Hawke told them the government was “actively […]
Religious discrimination Bill needs amendments, will impact state laws, Australian parliament told
Sydney, Australia The Australian Government’s Religious Discrimination Bill needs to be amended before being passed, according to the Labor Opposition. And Independent Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie says he will not back the proposed legislation as it will undermine the state’s “strongest anti- discrimination laws in the country”. Queensland Labor MP Graham Perrett, a practising Catholic, […]
UN urges Australia to speed up efforts to drop coal
Reuters Australia’s government should increase its efforts to phase out coal or else climate change will dramatically damage the country’s economy, Selwin Hart, the United Nations special adviser on climate change, said on Sunday. Australia’s reliance on coal-fired power makes it one of the world’s largest carbon emitters per capita, but its conservative government has […]
Australian churches, Christian organisations launch campaign to resettle 20,000 Afghans
Sydney, Australia Mainstream Australian churches and Christian organisations have launched a campaign for the “just and compassionate commitment” to resettle 20,000 refugees fleeing from the Taliban in Afghanistan. In a significant sign of unity, the denominations and organisations have joined together in support of the ‘Christians United for Afghanistan‘ campaign, which is lobbying the Federal […]
Australia warns of modern slavery risks in government supply chains
Thomson Reuters Foundation Australia said this week that construction and textiles were among the riskiest industries for slave labour in the public sector, in its first report on government efforts to clean up its supply chains. The government’s inaugural modern slavery statement, required by a 2018 law, outlined efforts to train officials on the topic, inform […]
Australia launches controversial COVID-19 tracking app as some states start easing rules
Melbourne, AustraliaReuters The Australian Government launched a controversial coronavirus tracing app on Sunday and promised to legislate privacy protections around it as authorities try to get the country and the economy back onto more normal footing. Australia and neighbouring New Zealand have both managed to get their coronavirus outbreaks under control before it strained public […]