Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Chrys Stevenson on November 25, 2009 at 3:20pm

My letter to The Age reads as follows:

"As one of four million plus non-religious Australians, I'm outraged to hear that Labor governments are putting $2.5m of taxpayers' money into a religious event, but have refused funding for Melbourne’s Global Atheist Convention.

You only have to Google to see how news of this event is spreading internationally. Isn’t that what the funding is for: to promote tourism to Australia and Victoria?

I will be travelling to the Convention in March. Does the Brumby government value my tourist dollars less than those of a theist? If so, I will be careful to restrict my spending while I am in Victoria for the Convention and I won’t be in any hurry to return to a state where non-theists are obviously not wanted. I also won’t be in any hurry to vote Labor again."

Permalink Reply by Stephen Moore on November 27, 2009 at 1:10am

Does anyone know if the regulations for government funding event is available online? And where one may find them? It would be nice to be able to actually read them.

Permalink Reply by Chrys Stevenson on November 27, 2009 at 1:36am

The problem is, Stephen, the government seems to have shunted the AFA application between three departments, so it's unclear as to what criteria has been used. As I understand it, they were told they met the criteria and should receive funding once ticket sales reached 1000. Soon after they advised that this had happened they were told that funding was refused because the event had already been 'secured'. As Nicholls says, how do you sell 1000 tickets if you haven't confirmed a venue? It doesn't look good for the government.

Permalink Reply by funk Q on November 28, 2009 at 6:31pm

Is it possible that governments are just responding to those who complained about funding for faith based meetings and atheists just happen to the first ones in line to be refused?

Maybe it's a case of getting what you wished for.

ygs!

Permalink Reply by Chrys Stevenson on November 28, 2009 at 10:41pm

I think if the Parliament of the World's Religions had been refused $4.5 million in funding then we certainly wouldn't have anything to argue about.

Permalink Reply by Malcolm Stenersen on December 15, 2009 at 3:12pm

Kristy, has David Nicholls been given a reason for the refusal of support? Depending upon what this might be surely a case could be taken to whatever the Australian Federal equivalent of the Human Rights Commissioner is? (Presuming they have such.)

Personally, I think it's also well past time that religious organisations' tax-exempt status was removed, as an archaic pandering to the supposed authority of the church. I fail to see why I, as a non-believer, should have my tax dollars used to prop up superstitious beliefs.

Permalink Reply by Chrys Stevenson on December 15, 2009 at 3:52pm

Hi Malcolm. As far as I know (and I'm not on the Convention Committee, so I may well be wrong) no formal explanation has been received from the government. The AFA has sought legal advice and taken a case to the anti-discrimination commission (tribunal?) in the past, but I don't know whether there are plans to take the same action in this case.

Regarding tax, I think we all agree on that. Max Wallace will be speaking on this at the Convention. If you have not already done so, I suggest you read Max's book, The Purple Economy.