Law and Religion Australia, published by Neil Foster, focuses on the intersection of legal issues and religious beliefs within the Australian context. The blog covers topics such as religious freedom in healthcare and aged care, including debates on voluntary assisted dying and faith-based institutions' rights. It addresses employment law matters related to religious schools, particularly concerning gender identity and discrimination laws. The blog also discusses legal scholarship and developments in law and religion, including reviews of relevant academic journals and books. Additionally, it examines cases involving vilification laws, especially those concerning transgender individuals, and explores the balance between religious doctrines and anti-discrimination legislation.
For those interested in Religious Freedom issues, I recommend the Religious Liberty Lecture and Conference being held at the University of Notre Dame, Sydney, on September 17-18, 2026.
On Thursday evening Sept 17 the Religious Liberty lecture will be delivered by…
Lawyers invest their time evaluating evidence, interpreting statutes, and seeking justice within a framework designed to maintain social order. But what happens when the foundations that undergird a legal system are systematically erased? How does a shift from absolute truth…
I have previously written about the case of Kirralie Smith. Ms Smith is part of an advocacy organisation, Binary Australia Ltd, which advocates for sex-based rights, especially for women, and sometimes posts about biological males who have been allowed…
The debate around whether a women-only app can exclude those born male is continuing. The decision of the Full Federal Court in Giggle v Tickle holds that it was unlawful for Sall Grover to exclude Roxanne Tickle from the “Giggle…
On behalf of the organisers, I am happy to post (for academic, and academically inclined, readers!) a call for papers for a symposium to be held in Melbourne in February 2027.
Call for Papers
Seventh Annual Symposium on Jurisprudence and…
Professor Paula Gerber has published a response to my critique of her previous piece on the Giggle v Tickle case. In her article, “Giggle v Tickle is about sex discrimination, not religious freedom” (ABC Religion and Ethics, 17…
I have published an opinion piece on the ABC Religion and Ethics website commenting on the litigation in Giggle v Tickle: “Why the Giggle v Tickle judgement is bad for women’s rights and a risk to religious freedom“.…
The Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia has handed down its long-awaited decision in Giggle for Girls Pty Ltd v Tickle [2026] FCAFC 64 (15 May 2026). I commented on the trial decision in this case in an…
The latest volume of the Australian Journal of Law and Religion has been published (and is freely available online here.) The Table of Contents is below- always worth reading! In particular I would like to commend the prize-winning essay by Jacob…
One of the deeply contested issues in Western societies at the moment is whether the law recognises the reality of biological sex. This is not only a question for faith groups, but it is one that most religious traditions regard…
