[Greens-Media] MEDIA ALERT - Taking Religion out of Politics? - Public Forum

[Lee Rhiannon]

MEDIA ALERT
27 October 2008


Taking Religion out of Politics? - Public Forum

When: 12:15 for 12.30-2pm, Monday 27 October 2008
Where: Jubilee Room, NSW Parliament, Macquarie Street

All speakers available for media interviews.

This free public forum asks:
·       What is the role of religion in politics and public institutions?
·       Is there a rule for religious leaders as moral guardians in
public debate?
·       How do we handle issues such as abortion and bioethics in a
secular Australia?

Speakers:

Dr Anne O'Rourke, Victorian Council of Civil Liberties, on Victoria's
reform of abortion laws. Anne is the Vice president of Liberty
Victoria and a Lecturer in the Department of Business Law and Taxation
at Monash University.  This month Victoria decriminalised abortion. Dr
O'Rourke has been a consistent advocate for reforming abortion laws.
Read more about Anne's views on the Catholic Church and abortion in
her recent Age opinion piece:
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/playing-politics-with-lives-20080923-4mhk.html?page=-1

Rev Elenie Poulos, Uniting Justice Australia, on the role of religion
in politics in public debate. UnitingJustice Australia is the justice
unit of the National Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia. It
helps to resource the Church as it considers its position on issues of
national significance and responds to issues of public policy.
Reverend Poulos is interested in the question: can you take politics
out of religion? She will explore how the Church should engage in
politics and on what basis.

Coleen MacKinnon, St James Ethics Centre, on the campaign for an
ethics based option to scripture in NSW public schools.  Currently in
NSW public school students are barred from studying ethics, philosophy
or comparative religion during weekly scripture time. A 2006 survey by
NSW P&C Federation found almost 60% of parents thought it important or
very important that their child be given the option of attending an
ethics-based class. Coleen MacKinnon is managing the St James Ethics
Centre's campaign in this area.

Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said, "This forum delves into the tricky area
of religion and politics. No one would deny the importance of both
these pillars in our society. The question is how does religion and
politics come together and where should the divide lie?


For more information:
Greens MP Lee Rhiannon - 9230 3551, 0427 861 568
Dr Anne O'Rouke Victorian Council of Civil Liberties - 9903 2785 or 0409 334 581
Rev Elenie Poulos (via Penny Monger) Uniting Justice Australia - 0417 416 674
Colleen MacKinnon, St James Ethic Centre - 0434 356 447