Despite appearances, Australia was based on the notion that certain ideas would be protected and encouraged while others will be crushed and/or marginalised. The unified colonies were to be forged into a country for the “white man”, a Christian country based on British traditions of governing a capitalist society. Sounds far-fetched? The White Australia Policy was only ditched in 1973 when there was sufficient confidence the complexion of the Australian population was a given. Immigration policy and “Border Protection” measures have managed the situation ever since.

Modern immigration maybe a little more colour blind nowadays but only towards those with a hefty bank balance. The assumption here is that class interests trump all others. Suspicion remains and is at its keenest towards those of different faiths, particularly those adhering to Islam. Many leading conservative politicians have expressed concerns about the persistence of cultural practices and resistance to “assimilation”. The arrival of Muslim immigrants has blurred the lines of religious and racial discrimination for reactionaries in the country. The Religious Freedom Act could be seen as an attempt to protect Muslims, also, from the bigotry and violence those same conservative law makers have encouraged. That conclusion would be an error.

The Religious Freedom Act seeks to protect the ability of the intolerant Christian right to spout their poison. As long ago as 2014, then Attorney-General George Brandis said people have “a right to be bigots”. He was speaking about proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act that makes it unlawful to “offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate” a person or group on the basis of their race. This didn’t sit well with the Abbott Coalition government, which had ridden waves of intolerance and anti-Islam xenophobia to electoral success.

“Though Australia’s constitution appears progressive on the issue of separation of church and state and the individual’s right to religious belief of their choosing, the reality is quite different”

The conservatives were defeated in their attempts to weaken the Whitlam era Racial Discrimination Act, but they have always played the long game.When it comes to giving vent to strong religious bias, they have always been well placed. Though Australia’s constitution appears progressive on the issue of separation of church and state and the individual’s right to religious belief of their choosing, the reality is quite different.

This is hardly surprising. Many Labor MHRs and Senators have come through the ranks of the right of the trade union movement, the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association. Rather than rallying workers to defend and advance their interests for better pay and conditions, this yellow “union” has represented the interests of retail monopolies and set back those of retail workers for decades.

Christian zealotry has long marked the Australian parliament. Education minister in the Whitlam government, Kim Beazley Snr was a member of the evangelical Moral Rearmament movement that originated in the US. His son, former Labor leader Kim Beazley Jnr, was also known for his “fearsome Christian morality”1. There are Christian prayer groups in the Australian parliament. MPs attend the Monday night prayer sessions to maintain solidarity in pushing their socially reactionary agenda during the week. Former Labor PM Kevin Rudd was a member, as was Bob Katter, Bronwyn Bishop, Sussan Ley and Christopher Pyne. Australia’s current Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, is a member of the charismatic Hillsong Church – an Australian chapter of the right-wing, US-based Assemblies of God – and has been active and generous to a fault in support of the church.