Where to start
Hmm
27 June 2017
results of the national Census reveal we’re a religiously diverse nation, with Christianity remaining the most common religion
Nearly a third said no religion in 2016.
religious makeup of Australia has changed gradually over the past 50 years. 1966, Christianity (88 per cent) was the main religion. 1991, this had fallen to 74 per cent, and further to the 2016 figure. Catholicism is the largest Christian grouping, accounting for almost a quarter (22.6 per cent)
The growing percentage of Australia’s population reporting no religion has been a trend for decades, and is accelerating. Those reporting no religion increased noticeably from 19 per cent in 2006 to 30 per cent in 2016. The largest change was between 2011 (22 per cent) and 2016, when an additional 2.2 million people reported having no religion
2016 No religion 30.l%
2016 Catholic 25.3
2011 Catholic 22.6
2011 No religion 22.3
2016 Anglican 13.3
2011 Anglican 17.1
We have a strong Church leadership. Especially since the prosecution of risdale.
It’s not anti Catholicism, it’s anti religion.
Irish Catholic and Italian catholic immigration early on 1800s to 20th century and post war created strong catholic communities here.
Eureka stockade - a rebellion that led to the birth of democracy was fuelled in part, by prominent catholic clergy presence.
The republic referendum 1999.
"a two-question referendum to amend the Constitution of Australia. The first question asked whether Australia should become a republic with a President appointed by Parliament following a bi-partisan appointment model which had been approved by a half-elected, half-appointed Constitutional Convention held in Canberra in February 1998. The second question, generally deemed to be far less important politically, asked whether Australia should alter the Constitution to insert a preamble. For some years opinion polls had suggested that a majority of the electorate favoured a republic
here is what our High Court justice said of the failure
“High Court Justice Michael Kirby, a constitutional monarchist, ascribed the failure of the republic referendum to ten factors: lack of bi-partisanship; undue haste; a perception that the republic was supported by big city elites; a “denigration” of monarchists as “unpatriotic” by republicans; the adoption of an inflexible republican model by the Convention; concerns about the specific model proposed (chiefly the ease with which a Prime Minister could dismiss a president); a republican strategy of using big “names” attached to the Whitlam era to promote their cause; strong opposition to the proposal in the smaller states; a counter-productive pro-republican bias in the media; and an instinctive caution among the Australian electorate regarding Constitutional change”
Most here did not want a USA type system, which the public was convinced would happen.
Cardinal Pell’s role, as part of a large group of representative Australians was
February 1998, Cardinal Pell attended the Constitutional Convention in Canberra as a delegate appointed by the Prime Minister. He served on the Resolutions Committee responsible for drafting motions put to the Convention and moved the motion in support of the Republican model which was finally adopted by the Convention.
He was awarded the Centenary Medal by the Australian Government on 21st April 2003, in recognition of his service to the Australian community through the Catholic Church."
he was awarded an honour by our Government for services.
He played AFL footy, you can’t get a much more acceptable Australian then that, given we are all sports mad.
“In earlier years Cardinal Pell was a keen sports coach in soccer, Aussie Rules and rowing. He is Vice Patron of the Richmond Football Club and a long term supporter and member of the Club since he signed to play with them in 1959.”
Playing for Richmond at the AFL level is akin to playing USA Super Bowl level.
Amanda Vanstone, a former politician, really needs to keep her head down
It won’t help Pell’s cause and just raises unwelcome speculation because
When Amanda was a politician with a portfolio.
“She has also been criticized for overturning a deportation order and granting a visa in 2005 to Francesco Madafferi, who had been implicated by Italian officials as a dangerous mafia figure.[7] In fact Madafferi is thought to be a member of the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta, known by the name Honoured Society in Australia, which, although similar, is a distinct crime organization from the Sicilian Mafia (however, common usage is to lump all such organizations together as Mafia.) Francesco and his brother Antonio, a stall holder in Melbourne’s Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable market (known to have been controlled by the Honoured Society), were alleged in a report by Victoria Police’s organised crime squad to belong to a crime family involved in blackmail, extortion and murder. The report was aired in 2000 at a court hearing during Francesco’s fight against deportation, but was later dismissed by an Administrative Appeals Tribunal judge as containing information from unnamed and possibly unreliable police informers. Vanstone justified her decision to grant Madafferi a visa because of a mental illness he was said to be suffering from. However it is alleged that relatives and associates of Madafferi donated up to $100,000 to the Liberal Party, and that four Liberal party politicians had discussed the visa case with Madafferi’s supporters or Vanstone’s office.[8] In August 2008, Madafferi was arrested and charged, along with several of Australia’s other suspected crime bosses (including Australian 'Ndrangheta boss Pasquale “Pat” Barbaro), after Australian Federal Police made the world’s biggest ecstasy haul, seizing drugs with a street value of $440 million”
The Calabrian Mafia have quite a foothold in Victoria and Griffith.
That’s for starters.
. no idea of Canada. we love Canadians though!
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