On ABC Radio's Late Night Live program earlier in the week, Peter Stanley, former historian of the Australian War Memorial, talked about our work in pushing for secular reform of Anzac Dawn Services. Listen from the 16:43 minute mark of the full episode here: www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
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It's about who you are now, not your past.

The religion question that will appear in the national Census in August asks for your religious affiliation. It’s asking about who you are now, not affiliations you may have had in the past. Find out more: censusnotreligious.org.au
#Census26 #NotReligious

If you think the Anzac Day Dawn Service at the Australian War Memorial should be secular – instead of imposing religion – then sign our online petition: www.change.org/p/stop-impos...
#auspol #AnzacDay

ACT Legislative Assembly encourages WA committee to “consider” removing daily Christian prayers | Rationalist Society of Australia The Australian Capital Territory’s Legislative Assembly has encouraged a West Australian inquiry into parliamentary procedures to “consider” whether the practice of observing daily Christian prayers “...

The Australian Capital Territory’s Legislative Assembly has encouraged a West Australian inquiry into parliamentary procedures to “consider” whether the practice of observing daily Christian prayers “needs to be updated”. Read more: rationalist.com.au/act-legislat...
#WApol #auspol

Terminally ill MP says ban on telehealth for assisted dying must change A Labor politician living with MND writes to the attorney-general, calling for laws banning doctors from discussing voluntary assisted dying during telehealth appointments to be revised.

The ABC reports that a Labor politician with a terminal illness has made a personal appeal to the attorney-general to revise federal laws blocking doctors from offering voluntary assisted dying (VAD) consultations over telehealth. Read more: www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04...
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What happens when sacred and secular power collide? - Rationale Magazine Alarm over the war of words between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV has escalated with remarkable speed, from The New York Times to the Daily Beast and local television. The pope has repeatedl...

“At stake in this public feud is an old question: can a religious leader challenge political power, especially a ruler of one of the most powerful countries ... ?” In Rationale, Joelle Rollo-Koster writes on the history of conflict between popes and rulers. rationalemagazine.com/index.php/20...

Australian Army removes chaplains’ controversial ‘Crusader’ emblem | Rationalist Society of Australia The Rationalist Society of Australia welcomes the Australian Army’s removal of a controversial Christian ‘Crusader’ emblem from the uniform of its chaplaincy branch, but says much more secular reform ...

We welcome the Australian Army’s removal of a controversial Christian ‘Crusader’ emblem from the uniform of its chaplaincy branch, but much more secular reform is needed across the Australian Defence Force. Read more: rationalist.com.au/australian-a...
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Christian Nationalism in Australia – A Religious View (Part One) Christian Nationalists are so noisy and obnoxious you can be forgiven for thinking they form the greater part of the Christian Church. This is not true of the USA, where Christian nationalists form…

“Despite their noisiness online this is an ideology that hovers at the edges of Australian church and public life.” Chrys Stevenson reports about the meeting of Christian theologians, academics and pastors last week to discuss the ‘Christian nationalist’ movement. chrysstevenson.com/2026/04/11/c...

In the #Rationale magazine, cartoonist Matt Bissett-Johnson gives his take on what’s happening in current affairs. Check out his other recent cartoons here: rationalemagazine.com/index.php/au...
@mbjcartoonist.bsky.social #auspol

RSA tells Victorian Labor MPs of disappointment over capitulation to religious lobbyists on prayers issue | Rationalist Society of Australia The Rationalist Society of Australia has expressed its disappointment to Victorian Labor MPs for their government's apparent capitulation to the demands of religious lobbyists in continuing to impose ...

We have expressed our disappointment to Victorian Labor MPs for their government’s apparent capitulation to the demands of religious lobbyists in continuing to impose daily acts of Christian worship in parliament. Read more: rationalist.com.au/rsa-tells-vi...
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If you’ve moved away from religion, it’s important that you reflect this at Census time. When the national Census is held in August, you will have the opportunity to mark ‘No religion’ if you’re not religious anymore. Find out more: censusnotreligious.org.au
#Census26 #NotReligious

Labor MP claims “widespread support” among colleagues for replacing WA parliament’s daily Christian prayers | Rationalist Society of Australia A West Australian Labor MP says there is “widespread support” among his colleagues in the state parliament for replacing the institution's daily Christian prayers with a more inclusive practice. In a ...

West Australian Labor MP Dave Kelly says there is “widespread support” among his colleagues in the state parliament for replacing the institution’s daily Christian prayers with a more inclusive and welcoming practice. Read more: rationalist.com.au/labor-mp-cla...
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As space race takes off, Australia has lost our best eyes to the universe Australia’s ability to contribute to the exploration of space has been dealt a hammer blow.

Nine Newspapers report that the astronomy and scientific communities have condemned the federal government’s decision not to pursue full membership of the European Southern Observatory, which will cut access to space observatories for Australian researchers. www.theage.com.au/national/as-...

Queensland regulator investigating complaints about the teaching of religious stories in science classes | Rationalist Society of Australia Queensland’s regulator of non-state schools is investigating two Christian schools following a complaint by the Rationalist Society of Australia about the teaching of religious stories in science clas...

Queensland’s regulator of non-state schools is investigating two Christian schools following a complaint by the Rationalist Society of Australia about the teaching of religious stories in science classes. Read more: rationalist.com.au/queensland-r...
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How citizen scientists are making a contribution - Rationale Magazine Until recently, the number of citizen scientists in Australia was estimated at between 100,000 and 130,000 people. But this is a major underestimate. My survey of about 20 key organisations suggests t...

“In an era of misinformation and declining trust in institutions, citizen science offers people a chance to engage directly with evidence and the natural world.” In #Rationale, Adam Smith & colleagues write about the immense contribution of citizen scientists.
rationalemagazine.com/index.php/20...

RSA supports call for NSW to remove block against non-religious chaplains working in prisons | Rationalist Society of Australia Inmates who have non-religious worldviews face discriminatory treatment in New South Wales prisons because the state’s corrective system requires visiting chaplains to be from religious backgrounds. A...

Inmates who have non-religious worldviews face discriminatory treatment in New South Wales prisons because the state’s corrective system requires visiting chaplains to be from religious backgrounds. Read more: rationalist.com.au/rsa-supports...
#NSWpol

Liberal campaign order came from the top: ex-Brethren The rigid hierarchy of the Plymouth Brethren Church meant any orders for followers to campaign for the Liberals would have come from the top, ex-members claim.

Yahoo News reports that defectors of the secretive Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, appearing at a parliamentary inquiry, have spoken out against a co-ordinated campaign to support the Liberals during the federal election. Read more: au.news.yahoo.com/liberal-camp...
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Habermas’ hope for a better future is more important than ever - Rationale Magazine It is impossible to capture seven decades of formidable intellect, wrapped into some 14,000 books and articles, in less than a thousand words. Yet German philosopher Jürgen Habermas staked his career ...

“[His] lifelong conviction was that the formation of public opinion through rational, reasoned conversation was vital for the conduct & survival of parliamentary democracy.” In Rationale, Susan Smith reflects on the work of the late philosopher Jürgen Habermas.
rationalemagazine.com/index.php/20...

YouGov withdraws survey said to show rising church attendance in England and Wales Research suggested resurgence in Christianity, especially among young people, but some respondents found to be fraudulent

The Guardian reports that a YouGov survey showing a significant rise in church attendance in parts of the UK – and which prompted stories around the world about a revival in Christianity – has been withdrawn after some respondents were found to be fraudulent. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

War Memorial set to again impose religion in Anzac Day service, ignoring feedback from non-religious veterans | Rationalist Society of Australia The nation’s most important site of commemoration will ignore the concerns of non-religious veterans and again impose religious worship on attendees and viewers of next month’s Anzac Day Dawn Service....

The nation’s most important site of commemoration, the Australian War Memorial, will ignore the concerns of non-religious veterans and again impose religious worship on attendees and viewers of next month’s Anzac Day Dawn Service, it can be revealed. More: rationalist.com.au/war-memorial...
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A closer look at the ‘Twelve Commandments’ - Rationale Magazine One of the many untruths propounded by the Judea-Christian religious tradition is the concocted story that, one day on Mount Sinai, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. But the actual phrase 'Ten Comm...

In #Rationale magazine, Ian Robinson takes a critical look at the story of Moses and the Ten Commandments, and considers what might be a more comprehensive and positive set of moral guidelines to live by.
rationalemagazine.com/index.php/20...

🎧 In our latest podcast episode, LGBTIQ+ rights advocate Brian Greig, of Just-Equal, speaks about the lack of legislative action in Western Australia and nationally over religious exemptions to equal opportunity and anti-discrimination laws. Listen here on our website: rationalist.com.au/podcasts/

In a letter published this month in Quarterly Essay, former WA Labor MP Chris Tallentire has criticised his party for failing to undertake progressive reforms since its thumping 2021 victory, including “small acts” such as removing religious prayers from the parliament.
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A former clerk of the WA parliament has added their voice to calls to replace daily Christian prayers with a new practice to ensure “inclusivity and respect for the diversity of beliefs represented within both the parliament and the broader community”. More: rationalist.com.au/calls-grow-f...
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Young people particularly vulnerable to cults post-COVID According to one of Australia's leading cult experts, the number of young adults between 17 and 25 years old joining cults since COVID is increasing at an alarming rate.

The ABC reports that cult expert Raphael Aron believes the number of people joining cults since COVID has increased, with young adults the most vulnerable age group. Read more: www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03...
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Calls grow for WA parliament to remove daily acts of religious worship | Rationalist Society of Australia The Rationalist Society of Australia has urged a West Australian committee to modernise parliamentary practices and replace the daily Christian prayers with something that better reflects the state’s ...

We have urged a West Australian committee to modernise parliamentary practices and replace the daily Christian prayers with something that better reflects the state’s increasingly non-religious and religiously diverse population. Read more: rationalist.com.au/calls-grow-f...
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New parliamentary friendship group to promote chaplaincy as WA school communities call for change | Rationalist Society of Australia Religious lobbyists and their supporters in the West Australian parliament are pushing back against the growing calls for the state government to stop funding chaplains in public schools, with the est...

Religious lobbyists and their supporters in the WA parliament are pushing back against the growing calls for the state govt to stop funding chaplains in public schools, with the establishment of a new friendship group to promote “the benefits" of chaplains: rationalist.com.au/new-parliame...
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Inquiry into Brethren election involvement calls on Dutton to appear Committee chairman Jerome Laxale wants the former opposition leader to explain the nature of the relationship between the party and the church group.

Nine Newspapers report that the federal parliamentary committee investigating the Plymouth Brethren Church’s intervention in the federal election wants to hear from Peter Dutton and the reviewers who described the Liberal Party campaign as the worst ever.
www.theage.com.au/politics/fed...
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Appearing at a budget estimates hearing earlier this month, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said he did not support removing religious schools’ exemptions to the state’s discrimination laws. Support our work: rationalist.com.au
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In the #Rationale magazine, cartoonist Matt Bissett-Johnson gives his take on what’s happening in current affairs. Check out his other recent cartoons here: rationalemagazine.com/index.php/au...
@mbjcartoonist.bsky.social #auspol