Apparently, on 28 April 1999, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Alexandar Downer MP asked the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade to inquire into and report on Australia's efforts to promote and protect freedom of religion and belief, in particular:

• the extent of violations of religious freedom around the world and the probable caused of those violations;
  

• implications for other human rights arising from a lack of religious fredom and religious differences; and
  

• the most effective means by which the Australian government and non government organisations can promote freedom of religion in the region and around the world.

This inquiry was advertised in national and regional newspapers on 15 May 1999, and in a number of ethnic community newspapers in later May/early June 1999. Apparently all major Australian Churches were asked to forward submissions to this inquiry, as well as letters seeking submission were sent to a range of Australian universities, Australian human rights organisations, relevant Commonwealth departments and other interested bodies. Over 100 submissions were received. The Temple of the Dark Moon, however, is curious as to whether any Pagan organisation was contacted with regards to making submissions.

Public hearings were held in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne. Considering the focus of this report was whether Australia (as a whole) should pass a "Religious Freedom Act", the Temple of the Dark Moon is curious as to why these hearings were not held in other major cities around Australia, such as Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Darwin and Hobart.

Australia is neither a theocratic state [ie, governed by a god or priest], nor does it have an official national religion. In 1983, in the case of the Church of the New Faith v Commission of Pay-Roll Tax (Vic) forced the High Court into adopting an equalitarian concept of the status of religions and religious groups. Although the abovementioned case involved taxation purposes, High Court stated indicators which would consitute a religion. These indicators may include:

• belief in a supernatural being, thing or principle;
  
• acceptance of conduct in order to give effect to that belief;
  

• ideas that related to humanity's nature and place in the Universe, and its relation to things supernatural;
  

• acceptance that adherents constitute an identifiable group or groups; and
  
• participation by adherents in practices believed to have supernatural significance.

The High Court further went on to state that:

"Under our law, the State has no prophetic role in relation to religious belief; the State can neither declare supernatural truth nor determine the paths through which the human mind must search in a quest for supernatural truth.


Religious belief is more than a cosmology; it is a belief in a supernatural Being, Thing or Principle. But religious belief is not by itself a religion. Religion is also concerened, at least to some extent, with a relationship between man and the supernatural order and with supernatural influence upon his life and conduct."

For those who may be interested in reading the report, Conviction with Compassion - A Report into Freedom of Religion and Belief, visit the site of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade.

Relevant Issues:   United Nations' Article 18   |    State/Territory Legislation

Chapter 10 - Cults

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