Premier Chris Minns has argued that Christianity “must not be forgotten” in New South Wales as he launched a new coalition of Christian leaders that has pledged to “renew the relevance” of the faith across the state.

The Labor leader was among the political leaders and 50 Christian community leaders at the launch of the Christian Alliance Council of NSW, held at Parliament House, in Sydney on Friday 8 August.

According to a press release shared on the group’s social media, Premier Minns – a Catholic – “commended the gathering”, which was also attended by opposition leader Mark Speakman and former prime minister Tony Abbott.

“In New South Wales, we rightly celebrate many important religious traditions. Yet, while most people in our state are Christian, this faith must not be forgotten,” Minns said.

“Today’s gathering is a wonderful and long overdue celebration of our Christian heritage.”

The state’s minister for multiculturalism, Steve Kamper, said New South Wales was “made stronger by Christians”. Another Labor MP, Hugh McDermott, said Christian unity was “so important in today’s society”.

The Christian Alliance’s Facebook page described the event as “historic”.

“This is just the beginning. Together, we are committed to bringing Christians together and renewing the relevance of faith across our state,” it said.

The political support for the Christian Alliance group is another example of the privilege and access afforded to faith-based community groups in New South Wales under the Minns government.

In 2023, the government established a 19-member faith advisory body, the Faith Affairs Council, and gave it direct access to government decision-makers.

The government did not provide a position for a non-religious leader despite Mr Kamper having previously committed to introducing a body that would reflect a “diversity of viewpoints”. The Faith Affairs Council is stacked with male religious clerics.

Documents obtained by the RSA under freedom of information laws show that the Faith Affairs Council has used this position to influence government policy according to narrow religious interests.

In July, the Rationalist Society of Australia raised the issue of faith advisory bodies in a submission to the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review into Australia’s human rights. The submission – supported by eight non-religious, ex-religious and pro-secular organisations – said it was an example of discriminatory and unfair treatment of non-religious Australians in government institutions and programs.

In 2023, Premier Minns and other government leaders attended the launch of a new religious lobby, Faith NSW, described as a peak body to advocate the “common interests” of the state’s faith groups.

Faith NSW evolved out of an existing group whose work focused on entrenching the scripture program, Special Religious Education (SRE), in public schools.

The leader of Faith NSW is religious lobbyist Murray Norman, who also has a place on the Faith Affairs Council, including the body’s Education Working Group. Documents obtained by the RSA show that this sub-committee focused on education matters has been advocating policies related to the SRE program.

Si Gladman is Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. He also hosts ‘The Secular Agenda’ podcast.

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