TABLE1 A summary of some of the major religions Religion Historical context
2021 Census percentage
Christianity
Dominant since European settlement; most First Fleet convicts and ofýcials were Anglican; Catholicism grew as more Europeans settled in Australia One of the ýrst religions in colonial Australia; Jewish convicts arrived with the First Fleet; increased immigration during the gold rush and after WWII First Buddhists were Chinese immigrants during the gold rush; Sri Lankans arrived in the 1870s; popularity grew from the 1970s with Asian immigration Known to Islamic scholars by 820 CE; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples traded with Macassans; modern immigration began with Afghan cameleers in the 1860s; grew after the White Australia Policy ended in 1973 Arrived in the mid-nineteenth century; early immigrants were labourers, camel drivers, domestic staff and merchants; growth slowed by the White Australia Policy; popular among Indian, Sri Lankan, Fijian and South African immigrants Religion not important to all Australians; atheists do not believe in a god or religion
43.9%
Judaism
0.4%
Buddhism
2.4%
Islam
3.2%
Hinduism
2.7%
Atheism
38.9%
Source: Data from the Census of Population and Housing — Religious Afýliations in Australia, 2021, Table 1: Religious Afýliation (religious groups) — 2016 and 2021.
14.3.3 Inþuence of religion on Australian politics and legal systems Religion has long inþuenced Australian law. Former High Court Judge, Michael Kirby, stated that Australian law was shaped by values shared with Christian churches (ABC Radio, 16 May 2012). Although Christianity is not directly referenced in the law, Christian values like those in the Ten Commandments, such as forbidding murder and theft, have impacted it. More recently, religion has sparked debates on LGBTQIA+ rights. The Australian Liberal Party opposed marriage equality until 2018, based on a perceived belief that the Christian Bible forbids same-sex marriage. In 2022, Scott Morrison’s Liberal Government’s Religious Discrimination Bill added to the controversy. This issue will be explored further in the Inquiry activity later in the topic.
SkillBuilder discussion Investigating contemporary Civics and Citizenship issues 1. Why might a Minister bring a Bible to Parliament House? 2. Discuss what this might mean or symbolise.
FIGURE3 In 2022, Minister Bob Katter signed his Bible at Parliament House.
520 Jacaranda Humanities Alive 7 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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