Episodes
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This episode features an interview with Michael Dove, the spokesperson for the ‘Census 2026 – Not Religious?’ campaign. The joint campaign is urging Australians to mark ‘No religion’ if they are no longer religious at the national Census, being held in August this year. Michael speaks on how the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) ended up deciding to re-use the flawed question for religious affiliation. He also talks about what the joint campaign will be doing in the coming weeks and months.
The ‘Census 2026 – Not Religious?’ campaign is being supported by the Rationalist Society of Australia, Humanists Australia, National Secular Lobby, Humanists Victoria, the Secular Association of NSW, Australian Skeptics (Victoria Branch), and Recovering from Religion Australia. Visit the campaign’s website here.
Members of the public can support the campaign and help to amplify its messages. Find out how here.
Michael previously spoke to this podcast in 2023, during the ABS’ public consultation phase on the Census questions. Listen to episode 13, titled: ‘Census: The ABS proposal to change the religion question’.
In recent months, the Rationalist Society of Australia has revealed details about how the ABS opted to re-used the leading religion question. You can find our reporting on the issue here on our website. The RSA's 'Rationale' magazine also published a three-part feature series written by Si Gladman, titled ‘The Census Files’. Read part 1 here. On the censusnotreligious.org.au website, you can find a timeline of events here.
The theme music of The Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it's by Shimmer.
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This episode features an interview with Collin Acton, a former Christian chaplain and a former Director-General of the Royal Australian Navy's chaplaincy branch, about the imposition of religion in Anzac Day Dawn Services. Collin presided over Anzac Day commemorations during his 20-plus career as a chaplain in the military. As Navy’s top chaplain, he was instrumental in spearheading secular reform of Navy’s chaplaincy branch, leading to the introduction of secular wellbeing support roles in 2020. He walked away from religion while serving as a chaplain and became a secular advocate. He now serves as a board member of the Rationalist Society of Australia.
The Rationalist Society of Australia is actively lobbying and advocating for secular reform of the Defence Force and military commemorations. Follow our campaign here.
We have an online petition that calls for the Australian War Memorial to stop imposing religion in the Anzac Day Dawn Service. Sign the petition here.
In 2022, Collin shared his personal story of losing faith while serving as a chaplain in an interview with ABC Radio program ‘Conversations’. Listen here.
In 2022, The Saturday Paper reported on Collin’s push for secular reform of Defence’s chaplaincy capability. Read the article.
At the 2023 Secularism Australia Conference, Collin spoke about the need for secular reform of the Australian Defence Force’s frontline chaplaincy capability. Watch his speech on YouTube.
In 2024, Collin wrote an op-ed piece for the Pearls & Irritations website, criticising the failure of Army and Air Force to provide secular frontline wellbeing support. Read the article.
The theme music of The Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it's by Shimmer.
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This episode highlights the lack of legislative action in Western Australia and nationally over religious exemptions to equal opportunity and anti-discrimination laws, and the impact this is having particularly on LGBTIQ+ students and teachers in faith-based schools.
It features an interview conducted with Brian Greig (2:16) in February. Brian is a spokesperson for national lobby group Just-Equal Australia. He was a leading advocate for same-sex marriage. He also served as a Senator for Western Australia from 1999 to 2005, as a member of the Australian Democrats.
For more information about Just-Equal Australia, visit the organisation’s website here.
The Rationalist Society of Australia is advocating for the removal of religious exemptions to anti-discrimination laws. Follow our campaign here.
The podcast is hosted by Si Gladman, Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. To support the work of the Rationalist Society of Australia, become a member or make a donation on our website.
The theme music of The Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it's by Shimmer.
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This episode highlights Victoria’s voluntary assisted dying (VAD) laws, the new amendments to improve access for terminally ill people, and the continued efforts of opponents to wind back such laws across the country.
The episode features an interview with Jane Morris (1:30), who is a long-time advocate for VAD and is President of Dying With Dignity Victoria. The organisation has been at the forefront of advocating for the end-of-life option, playing an influential role in seeing the state become the first jurisdiction to legalise VAD in 2017.
In November this year, the Victorian Parliament passed the Voluntary Assisted Dying Amendment Bill (2025), making amendments to the laws to improve access and address problems. This development followed the release, earlier this year, of a review into the first four years of operation of the laws.
Warning: this interview includes discussion of death and suicide.
For more information about Dying With Dignity Victoria, visit the organisation’s website here.
The Rationalist Society of Australia is advocating for the federal government to allow telehealth for voluntary assisted dying. Follow our campaign here.
The podcast is hosted by Si Gladman, Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. To support the work of the Rationalist Society of Australia, become a member or make a donation on our website.
The theme music of The Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it's by Shimmer.
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This episode highlights the psychological impacts and other harms experienced in cults and high-demand groups, and discusses the supports cult survivors need on their path to recovery.
The episode features an interview with Maria Esguerra (2:03), a psychologist and director of the Olive Leaf Network Australia, which is dedicated to supporting former members of high-demand groups.
Maria is a survivor of the Children of God cult – now known as the Family International.
Maria co-authored a submission to the Victorian parliamentary inquiry examining recruitment methods and impacts of cults and organised fringe groups.
The Legislative Assembly Legal and Social Issues Committee’s inquiry is currently conducting hearings and plans to report its findings by 30 September next year. Visit the committee website here.
In September this year, the committee released the results of a questionnaire conducted as part of its inquiry. Of 317 responses, 95 per cent of people reported psychological harm, while 85 per cent reported personal restrictions and 52 per cent physical harm. Read about the questionnaire here.
Warning: this interview includes discussion of sexual abuse.
The Rationalist Society of Australia is actively lobbying and advocating for coercive control laws to apply to cults and high-demand groups. Follow our campaign here.
The podcast is hosted by Si Gladman, Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. To support the work of the Rationalist Society of Australia, become a member or make a donation on our website.
The theme music of The Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it's by Shimmer.
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This episode highlights a new parliamentary inquiry in Victoria examining cults and organised fringe groups, the methods used to recruit and control their members, and the impacts of coercive control. The episode features an interview with Lara Kaput (02:10), a former member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses who became a whistleblower. For a number of years, Lara dedicated herself to advocacy work with the group known as Say Sorry. She has recently stepped down from Say Sorry but continues to advocate for governments to address abuses in cult groups.
The Legislative Assembly Legal and Social Issues Committee’s inquiry is currently open for submissions, closing at the end of July 2025. Submissions can be made via the committee's website. Visit it here.
The Rationalist Society of Australia is advocating for states and territories to extend coercive control laws to cover cults and high-demand religious groups. Follow our campaign here.
In early April this year, The Age featured a report by Richard Baker about the establishment of the committee inquiry. Read here.
In May, SBS featured a report by Aleisha Orr about the inquiry and included comments from a support group for ex-cult members about its hopes that the inquiry will raise awareness about harms and drive change. Read here.
In May, the Australian Christian Lobby’s Michelle Pearse warned that the Victorian parliamentary committee inquiry into cults and their coercive practices could impact the “Christian church” and restrict freedom of religion. Read here.
The Secular Agenda podcast is hosted by Si Gladman, Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. To support the work of the Rationalist Society of Australia, become a member or make a donation on our website.
The theme music of the podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it's by Shimmer.
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This episode examines the Australian War Memorial's response to public calls for it to stop imposing Christianity in the national Anzac Day Dawn Service in Canberra. The episode features an interview with David Stephens (01:45), the editor of the Honest History and Defending Country websites. Honest History has long been advocating for reforms on a number of issues relating to the War Memorial, and challenging the misuse of history to serve political or other agendas. It has publicly backed the call for Anzac Day Dawn Services to stop imposing Christianity.
The Rationalist Society of Australia is actively lobbying and advocating for secular reform of the Defence Force and military commemorations. Follow our campaign here.
In May 2024, we published an interview on this podcast with Army veteran Sam Proctor, who shared his concerns about the place of religion in military commemorations. Listen to episode 19, ‘How Christianity’s dominance of Anzac Day services excludes Defence personnel and veterans’.
In February 2025, the Rationalist Society of Australia launched an online petition calling for the Australian War Memorial to stop imposing religion in the Anzac Day Dawn Service. Sign the petition here.
In February 2025, journalist Amy Fallon wrote an article for Crikey about the Christian dominance of the Anzac Day Dawn Service. Read the full article here.
For more information about the work of Honest History, visit its website here. For information about Defending Country, visit its website here.
The podcast is hosted by Si Gladman, Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. To support the work of the Rationalist Society of Australia, become a member or make a donation on our website.
The theme music of The Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it's by Shimmer.
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With increasing numbers of Australians walking away from religion, there is a growing need for support services to help people navigate the journey out of religion and to overcome the trauma of having lived with strict religious dogmas or having suffered years of abuse in coercive and repressive religious environments. One organisation helping to address this need in Australia is Recovering from Religion.
This episode features an interview with Sherrie D'Souza (2:08), who is International Development Director of Recovering from Religion. She is also Public Officer and Treasurer of Recovering from Religion Australia.
For more information about Recovering from Religion Australia, visit its website here.
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show a rapid decline in religious affiliation in Australia. For more information, check out the ABS website here.
The Secular Agenda podcast is hosted by Si Gladman, the Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. To support the work of the Rationalist Society of Australia, become a member or make a donation here on our website.
The theme music of The Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it is by Shimmer.
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There has been increasing interest in a shadowy network of free-market think tanks seeking to influence economic and political policy in countries around the world, including in Australia. One emerging element of the Atlas Network is Christian Nationalism.
This episode features an interview with Lucy Hamilton (1:48), who is currently undertaking PhD research into the links between Christian Nationalism and the Atlas Network in the Australian political context.
Lucy has written a number of pieces on the topic in online publications, in particular John Menadue’s ‘Pearls & Irritations’ blog. Find her articles here.
Following the Secularism Australia Conference in December 2023, Lucy wrote in an article that people of faith and secularists/non-religious people need to work together for mutual protection. Read the article here.
The Secular Agenda podcast is hosted by Si Gladman, the Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. To support the work of the Rationalist Society of Australia, become a member or make a donation on our website.
The theme music of The Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it is by Shimmer.
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With Donald Trump set to return to the presidency in 2025, the Christian Nationalist agenda looms large in the United States. But what will Trump’s re-election mean for the Christian Right in Australia?
This episode features an interview with Clare Health-McIvor (1:42), who is host of the ‘Unchurchable’ podcast, which examines religious trauma, damaging theologies, and life after church. Clare is the eldest child of pastors of a church involved in the dominionist movement. Since leaving the City Builders Church in Gippsland, she has spoken out about the church’s efforts to infiltrate mainstream political parties and about the threat of Christian dominionism in Australia.
Following the US presidential election, Clare wrote a piece on this topic for the ‘Rationale’ magazine, titled ‘The white God problem in politics’. Read the article here.
The Secular Agenda podcast is hosted by Si Gladman, the Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. To support the work of the Rationalist Society of Australia, become a member or make a donation on our website.
The theme music of The Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it is by Shimmer.
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Each month, the Rationalist Society of Australia hosts a webinar, with a guest speaker, or speakers, presenting on a topic of interest. We share highlights of our past webinars here on this podcast.
This episode features an interview with New South Wales upper house member Abigail Boyd, of the The Greens. For our October 2022 webinar, Abigail joined with other guest speakers to discuss the issue of the imposition of daily Christian prayers in parliaments and in local councils.
You can watch the full webinar here on our YouTube channel.
Read a review about the webinar here on our website.
For more information about upcoming webinars and to register to attend them, visit the webinars page on our website.
The theme music of the Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it's by Shimmer.
To support the work of the Rationalist Society of Australia, you can become a member or make a donation on our website.
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Each month, the Rationalist Society of Australia hosts a webinar, with a guest speaker, or speakers, presenting on a topic of interest. We share highlights of our past webinars here on this podcast.
This episode features an interview with investigative journalist David Hardaker from our webinar in April 2024.
David is well-known for his reporting on the controversies at Hillsong Church, its former leader Brian Houston, and the rising influence of Pentecostal Christianity in Australian politics.
David joined us to speak about his new book, Mine is the Kingdom: The rise and fall of Brian Houston and the Hillsong Church.
You can watch the full webinar here on our YouTube channel.
Read a review about the webinar here on our website.
You can purchase David’s book here at Allen&Unwin Publishers.
For more information about upcoming webinars and to register to attend them, visit the webinars page on our website.
The theme music of the Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it's by Shimmer.
To support the work of the Rationalist Society of Australia, you can become a member or make a donation on our website.
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This episode explores the stalemate in federal politics over religious exemptions in anti-discrimination laws. It features an interview with teacher Steph Lentz (1:48), who was fired from a Christian school because of her homosexuality. Steph has been a vocal advocate for the need to remove such exemptions from anti-discrimination laws. In 2023, she told her story in the book, In/Out: A scandalous story of falling into love and out of the church, published by ABC Books. In this episode, Steph also speaks about her personal journey of being raised in a hardline church, her struggle with her sexuality while an active member of the church, and then her journey out of religion.
In August 2021, Steph told her story publicly in the Sydney Morning Herald. Read the article here.
In 2023, her book, In/Out: A scandalous story of falling into love and out of the church, was published by ABC Books. You can purchase it here.
The Secular Agenda podcast is hosted by Si Gladman, the Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. To support the work of the Rationalist Society of Australia, become a member or make a donation on our website.
The theme music of The Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it is by Shimmer.
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Each month, the Rationalist Society of Australia hosts a webinar, with a guest speaker, or speakers, presenting on a topic of interest. We share highlights of our past webinars here on this podcast.
This episode features highlights from our February 2024 webinar, when Stephen Evans, the Chief Executive Office of the UK’s National Secular Society, shared insights on the entanglement of church and state in his country.
With Christianity continuing to decline in the UK, Stephen spoke on why it is time to cut symbolic and institutional ties with the Church of England.
You can watch the full webinar here on our YouTube channel.
Read a review about the webinar here on our website.
For more information about upcoming webinars and to register to attend them, visit the webinars page on our website.
The theme music of the Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it's by Shimmer.
To support the work of the Rationalist Society of Australia, you can become a member or make a donation on our website.
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This episode examines the religious dominance of important national commemorations, such as Anzac Day, and the need for secular reform of such events. The episode features an interview with Army veteran Sam Proctor (1:50), who separated from the Australian Army last year after 10 years of service. Proctor raised the problem as part of his submission to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.
Proctor spoke to the podcast in a personal capacity about his submission to the Royal Commission, and his views are his own. Read his submission here.
Christianity dominates Dawn Services in the Defence Force, at the Australian War Memorial, and in the wider public. The Rationalist Society of Australia is lobbying government and other bodies for secular reform on this issue. Read more here.
According to official Defence data, the majority of Australian Defence Force personnel are not religious. Former Army Colonel and Defence statistician Phillip Hoglin has written about the decline of religious affiliation in Defence. Read more here.
In an article published this month in an official Army publication, Hoglin has written on the need for junior soldiers and officers to question some of the Army’s inappropriate and non-contemporary traditions, including those dominated by Christianity. Read more here.
In late 2022, a spokesperson for veterans affairs minister Matt Keogh told the Rationalist Society of Australia that events such as Anzac Day were “welcoming to all” and recognised the diversity of the Defence Force workforce and Australian community. Read more here.
The podcast is hosted by Si Gladman, Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. To support the work of the Rationalist Society of Australia, become a member or make a donation on our website.
The theme music of The Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it's by Shimmer.
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Each month, the Rationalist Society of Australia hosts a webinar, with a guest speaker, or speakers, presenting on a topic of interest. We share highlights of our past webinars here on this podcast.
This episode features highlights from our September 2023 webinar, when Dr Rebecca Banham shared insights into her research on the Australian media’s response to the rise of non-religious identification in the Census.
Dr Banham is Postdoctoral Research Fellow at University of Tasmania.
In the webinar, she spoke about how, following the release of the most recent Census data, significant sections of the media responded to the rapid rise in non-religious identification in the national Census with concern, defensiveness and fear.
You can watch the full webinar here on our YouTube channel.
Read a review about the webinar here on our website.
For more information about upcoming webinars and to register to attend them, visit the webinars page on our website.
The theme music of the Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it's by Shimmer.
To support the work of the Rationalist Society of Australia, you can become a member or make a donation on our website.
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This episode explores the development in New South Wales of the Faith Affairs Council and the state Labor government’s decision to block non-religious and ex-religious representation from the body. The episode features an interview with Steve Marton (2:25), who is president of Sydney Atheists. In November 2023, the state government rejected his application to become a member of the Faith Affairs Council. He applied for a position on the advisory body – which has a direct line to government ministers – in order to represent the voices of non-religious and ex-religious citizens on matters relating to religion.
Before the state election last year, the Rationalist Society of Australia (RSA) warned the then Minns opposition that the party’s proposal to establish a Faith Affairs Council would privilege the voices of religious clerics even further in policy making and marginalise the voices of non-religious citizens. Read more here.
In May 2023, multicultural minister Steve Kamper told the RSA that the proposed Faith Affairs Council would have “a diversity of viewpoints” represented. Read more here.
In September 2023, atheist leader Steve Marton nominated himself for a position on the Faith Affairs Council. Read more here.
In early November, a government official informed Mr Marton that the government had rejected his nomination. Read more here.
In December, Mr Marton, speaking on radio, warned that the religious leaders elected to the body hold views at odds with the wider community and most religious people. Read more here.
The podcast is hosted by Si Gladman, the Campaigns & Communications Coordinator for the Rationalist Society of Australia. To support the work of the Rationalist Society of Australia, become a member or make a donation on our website.
The theme music of The Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it's by Shimmer.
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Each month, the Rationalist Society of Australia hosts a webinar, with a guest speaker, or speakers, presenting on a topic of interest. We share highlights of our past webinars here on this podcast.
This episode features highlights from our March 2023 webinar, when Dr Jennifer Bleazby presented on her research into current scripture laws and policies operating in public schools across the country.
Dr Bleazby is a Senior Lecturer at Monash University. She is also a recipient of an RSA Research Grant.
In the webinar, she discussed how the methods of indoctrination used in programs such as Religious Instruction in Queensland and Special Religious Education in New South Wales undermine fundamental educational aims and raise problems for schools as they seek to help children to navigate disinformation, conspiratorial thinking and science denialism.
You can watch the full webinar here on our YouTube channel.
Read more about Dr Bleazby’s research here.
The theme music of the Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it's by Shimmer.
To support the work of the Rationalist Society of Australia, you can become a member or make a donation on our website.
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This episode explores the topic of Special Religious Education (SRE), or ‘scripture’, in New South Wales’ public schools, and the mounting public opposition to religious missionaries continuing to be allowed to interrupt the curriculum and take over class time. The episode features an interview with Steven Cowgill (4:48), a parent who has recently launched a petition on the New South Wales Parliament website. The petition – open for New South Wales citizens until 12 April 2024 – calls for the Legislative Assembly to ask that the state government amends the Education Act (1990) so that optional SRE and Special Education in Ethics (SEE) run only during participating students' own time, such as breaks or before or after school.
If you are a citizen of New South Wales, please add your name to the petition. You can sign it here on the New South Wales Parliament website.
In August 2023, the Sydney Morning Herald published an article detailing declining participation rates in SRE and growing opposition to SRE among education sector stakeholders. Read the article here.
At budget estimates in October this year, education minister Prue Car ruled out any changes to the SRE program. Read more about that here.
This year, the Rationalist Society of Australia has raised concerns with Minister Car about the teaching of creationism in Christian SRE. Read more here. Also, the RSA has discovered Islamic teaching materials that warn children of “hellfire” and tell them to not “compromise or change your identity”. Read more here.
The podcast is hosted by Si Gladman, the Campaigns & Communications Coordinator for theRationalist Society of Australia To support the work of the Rationalist Society of Australia, you can become a member or make a donation on our website.
The theme music of The Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it's by Shimmer.
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Each month, the Rationalist Society of Australia hosts a webinar, with a guest speaker, or speakers, presenting on a topic of interest. We share highlights of our past webinars here on this podcast.
This episode features highlights from our June webinar with Dr Philip Saj, Visiting Scholar at The Business School at University of Adelaide.
In the webinar, he spoke on the topic ‘Basic Religious Charities: The case for more transparency’. He shared insights from his research into Basic Religious Charities (BRCs) and their unique place in Australia’s charities system, enjoying exemptions from the financial reporting requirements and governance standards that apply to other charities. You can watch the full webinar here on our YouTube channel.
Dr Saj told the webinar that removing exemptions for BRCs would enhance public trust in the charities system. Read a review of the webinar here on our website.
In August this year, Crikey wrote an article about Dr Saj’s research in BRCs. You can read it here.
The theme music of the Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it's by Shimmer.
To support the work of the Rationalist Society of Australia,
you can become a member or make a donation on our website.
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