Nice article but the thing is, while ever the secular minded folks want publicly funded health, education, etc. Christians are going to have a say in how they're funded because they pay income tax, GST, etc. The idea that Christians should be taxed but have no say in how its spend is probably beyond socialism.

Brian might want to shut his eyes to his Creator, Lawmaker and Lifegiver but to have the title 'Director of Plain Reason' is idiotic. If he can't see that sodomy is unhealthy, that children do best with a loving dad and mum and that he is not here by chance then reason is totally absent for Brian's life. A new poll would also find that the vast majority of Aussies don't want anymore Islamic immigration. Brian gets to get a vote on changing normal marriage and is still complianing. Go figure!

I'm not sure how effective any constitutional change would be Brian, even if you could persuade the Australian people to accept one?

There's no way to know what a candidate's real and deep seated beliefs are, given the capacity of politicians to be deeply disingenuous, whenever politically convenient? Yet still bring their core beliefs with them?

And on occasion allow deeply held personal conviction or the evocations of the party to overrule the will of the people or indeed even that of their electorate, given there's no will or appetite to actually set them aside for the term of office/electoral representation. The job description!

Perhaps the way to resolve much of the dilemma you present in your argument Brian, is to limit the number of terms any individual can serve? Which in turn could limit the far too generous retirement entitlements of these ultra privileged teeth gnashers?

Which would mean folks who deliberately misinform the people of their core beliefs are eventually moved on? Preferably before they form like minded cliques that exercise counterproductive control or a progress halting veto?
Rhrosty.

"A survey showed that 78 percent ticked the box saying that religion should be separated from the business of government"

At a guess, 90% plus would be opposed to the military, generals, becoming involved in politics too. Where generals start advising policy it will always end in tears.

For that reason alone it is understandable why there is a groundswell of public opinion and starting from members of the ADF, past and present, against 'that' General who has become a human headline and front for the entitled, self-serving educated middle class feminists and Emily's Listers, who are used to rolling in the trough of taxpayers money.

What about an article on the political tradition of the necessary separation of the military and politics in democratic countries?

Nothing new about this. Who who made up the 22%? Muslims? Most Australians are frightened of and suspicious of Christianity, which, like it or not, is OUR religion. Our very way of life is based on Christianity; without it, we have a vacuum waiting to be filled by Islam.

"Same-sex marriage and voluntary euthanasia are just two that have been interminably blocked on religious grounds"...Nonsense Brian. I have just attended a Conference opposing euthanasia and the lead speaker/activist opponent of euthanasia was an atheist ! Likewise Same Sex Marriage is opposed by homosexuals themselves...Italian fashion designers Dolce and Gabbana for one...or I should say two! Leading opponents of SSM in France were homosexuals ..who generally don't believe in marriage or monogamy anyhow! The issue of abortion is another example where religion is not an issue. Science is. As any first year medical student will be taught, human life begins at fertilization. So the taking of a human life, an innocent one at that, without trial or jury, is the issue with which legislators have to grapple. No need for any politician to have to argue that on religious grounds. And it's mischievous to raise the hoary old chestnut of the "separation of Church and State" principle which was never about the Church interfering in politics. It was an American concept about the keeping the State's nose out of the Church. But we keep hearing that is is about the Church interfering in the State! A clever ploy for bigots I suppose.