The Victorian Labor government has spent more than $300,000 of taxpayers’ money this year hosting fancy dinners exclusively for religious communities.
Documents obtained by the Rationalist Society of Australia (RSA) via a freedom of information (FOI) request show that the government spent $206,402 on a dinner for the Islamic community at the Centrepiece venue at Rod Laver Arena in March, while it spent $85,494 on a dinner event at the same venue for Christians in May.
Another event – referred to as an ‘appreciation reception’ – for the Sikh community at a CBD venue in May cost $13,625.
The RSA lodged an FOI application for details about the ‘Victorian Christian Communities Gala 2026’ after a media report highlighted the Victorian opposition’s concerns that such taxpayer-funded faith-based dinners had become “blatantly political”.
According to the report, the office of then Premier Jacinta Allan had determined speaking roles for the Christian event and did not give opposition leader Jess Wilson an opportunity to address the audience.
The ‘Victorian Christian Communities Gala 2026’ was “strictly invitation” only.
The FOI documents include correspondence between the Department of Premier & Cabinet and the Office of the Premier, including discussions about the three-course menu options and the design of the event branding. Among the proposed mains options were Humpty Doo barramundi, grass-fed lamb and O’Connor beef-eye fillet.
Among the FOI documents was a message from the Premier that was to be printed and placed at each guest’s seat.
In the message, Premier Allan said the Christian community had “made an extraordinary contribution” to public life, social welfare, education and health care.
“The Victorian Government recognises and values the contribution the Christian community continues to make in our state. Together, we are working towards a safe, fair and inclusive Victoria,” said the message.
Although Victoria’s Equal Opportunity Act (2010) outlaws discrimination against people based on religious beliefs or activities – including not having religious beliefs – the Labor state government has not provided non-religious community groups, such as atheists, humanists and rationalists, the same opportunity.
Speaking today, RSA Executive Director Si Gladman said the exclusive dinners were further proof of the favour and privilege that Australian governments continue to lavish on religious communities at the expense of all other taxpayers.
“This is another example of governments giving preferential treatment to religion”, he said.
With the results of the 2026 Census expected to show ‘no religion’ overtaking Christianity in Victoria – even with the leading Census question that inflates the religion result by about 10 percentage points – the state government has failed to deliver on its 2021 promise to remove daily Christian prayers from parliament.
In 2024, the government backed down from its commitment following a public campaign spearheaded by conservative members of the Liberal opposition and religious lobbyists such as the Australian Christian Lobby.
In a letter accompanying the FOI documents, the Department of Premier & Cabinet told the RSA that the ‘Premier’s Diwali State Reception 2026’ would be held later this year.
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Si Gladman is Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. He also hosts ‘The Secular Agenda’ podcast.