REPUBLICANS will argue the case for removing God as well as the monarchy from the Australian parliamentary system at a conference in Bowral this month.
“Secularising the Republic” will be the topic for the Republican Party of Australia (RPA) conference at the Links House in Bowral on May 16 and 17.
Conference convenor and RPA founder Peter Consandine said RPA was concerned with all aspects of secularism in government, including references to God in the Australian Constitution and prayers in Parliament.
Speakers will discuss Australian republicanism and the separation of Church and State, taxation concessions for religious groups, and how organised religions are exploiting the Australian Constitution.
Mr Consandine said although the issue of education was not on the conference agenda, RPA was also very mindful of government funding for church-owned schools.
“We take the secular view that we can’t have the diminishment of public education as has been going on,” he said.
The RPA has chosen to hold its conference in Bowral in line with its policy of staging annual general meetings and conferences outside major cities.
Speakers include academic and author Max Wallace, civil libertarian Ian Bryce, lawyer Stephen Mutch, author Nick Renton, broadcaster and anarchist Joe Toscano, and Mr Consandine.
For the full story see the Southern Highland News, Wednesday, May 6
editorial.highlandnews@rur alpress.com
Email a friend