A new abortion law reform bill is heating debate in South Australia. The private member’s bill wants the law reformed to refuse to terminate pregnancies after 28 weeks. Touted by its supporters as a “world-first”, Ben Hood’s bill aims to ensure pregnancy terminations after 27 weeks and six days are achieved through the early induction Read more
The escalated domestic terror threat and the false claims driving race riots in Britain show why social media companies must be reined in to protect the young from radicalisation and misinformation, the South Australian Premier has declared amid the growing push to impose greater control on digital publishers. Peter Malinauskas has joined forces with NSW Read more
As the clock ticks down to the October 14 Australian referendum on the Indigenous Voice, religious leaders in Australia are under the spotlight. Despite the political risks of taking a stand, some urge these leaders to move beyond mere words and show decisive support for the constitutional change. Francis Sullivan, who formerly led the Catholic Read more
An Australian priest backing the Indigenous Voice referendum to parliament fears the result will leave Australians divided. That will be a tragedy, he says. Father Frank Brennan (pictured), a Jesuit priest and human rights lawyer, blames leadership on both political sides for not seeking common ground. He hopes a “reconciling spirit” will blow through parliament’s Read more
A Pacific Island multinational military training exercise involving the US, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji has concluded in Fiji. The 11-day Exercise Cartwheel 2022 drew criticism from China which has been seeking to expand influence in the South Pacific. The exercise, named after Operation Cartwheel – a major military operation for the Allies Read more
“What is it about women and the Church?” Sister Patty Fawkner SGS, recently asked. Writing as a member of the just completed Plenary Council of the Catholic Church in Australia, she spoke of her experience during the moment of “protest” once the motion on women failed to get the required vote. But her very reasonable Read more
People should trust God, not governments says former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. In a sermon to churchgoers at Perth’s Pentecostal Victory Life Centre, Morrison said in his experience it would be a mistake to trust governments. “We trust in Him. We don’t trust in governments. We don’t trust in United Nations, thank goodness. “We Read more
Australia’s new prime minister is a self-described cultural Catholic with an agenda to make social reforms and take action on climate change. Anthony Albanese, centre-left leader of the Labor Party, claimed election victory on 21 May defeating the conservative Liberal-National coalition that has governed for nine years. Mr Albanese always described himself as the only Read more
Australian religious leaders are increasing pressure on Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese not to dump the religious discrimination bill ahead of the election. So far the bill has faced stiff opposition from all sides. Its only successful amendment was on Wednesday, which saw the removal of Section 38(3) of the Sex Read more
Faith-based hospitals in Queensland will not be able to deny entry to outside doctors to help terminally ill patients die, new legislation proposes. The Queensland government has rejected pleas by the churches for institutional protection from the widest voluntary assisted dying law to go before an Australian parliament. The legislation leaves the private, church-backed institutions Read more