About the Secular Association of NSW

Rationalism arose as a scientific and reason-based opposition to ideas beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature, and/or commitment to associated principles of behaviour. Beliefs in this sense often pose a challenge to political principles such as democracy, the rule of law and human rights. This gave rise to the agitation for a rationalist approach to life, and the establishment of rationalist movements in the 19th century. While those concerns are still relevant in the 21st century, we recognise that the right to freedom of religion or belief entails state neutrality in matters of religion. That is, the people should enjoy both freedom of religious belief and practice, and from imposed religious doctrine and practice.

Recognition of both the freedom to hold or practice a religion or belief, and freedom from the imposition of religious ideas and practices on others thus raises the need for a secular state, a clear and effective separation of religious influence on state activity, often called ‘separation of church and state’. We hold that Australia is currently a ‘soft theocracy’, that is, the state favours religious institutions by taxpayer-funded grants, tax exemptions, as well as exceptions to discrimination law, and religious influence in law-making.

We recognise the freedom of everyone to have and practice the religion and beliefs of their choice, but we argue that this cannot happen unless the state acts in the interests of public welfare, safety, and the rights of all, regardless of individual beliefs and practices. This is in accordance with Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which Australia is a signatory) which provides that no one shall be subject to coercion which would impair their freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of their choice, and that freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs may be subject to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to protect public safety, order, health, or morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others.

To read more about secularism, see our Occasional Paper, ‘Q & A on Secularism’ (coming soon).

Read the SANSW company constitution here.

The Board

President

The President is Pauline Tyrrell. Pauline served on Canada Bay (NSW) Council from 2000 to 2004 and from 2008 to 2017. She was Deputy Mayor 2002 – 2004 and 2012 – 2014. Pauline’s academic qualifications include a BA (Hons), (Political Economy Major) Uni of Sydney; BSc (Biochemistry) Uni of NSW; Permaculture Design Certificate. Pauline has worked as newsletter editor for a community education group lobbying for social justice, the environment and peace; as a scientist in hospital laboratories and as an English teacher in Nepal.

Vice-President

The Vice-President is Lara Kaput. Lara is an international activist. As a former Jehovah’s Witnesses whistleblower, she is working for children to be protected from the cult she was raised in. Since 2016, she has provided unique information – in written submissions and via testimony – to law enforcement agencies, government bodies, politicians, inquiries, royal commissions, law firms and the media in relation to Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Watch Tower Society. For the six years prior to becoming Vice President, Lara was involved with the victim advocacy group Say Sorry. Lara is a retired chemist who specialised in procurement consulting alongside personal training. She’s also an Australian with German, Polish and Ukrainian ancestry.

Secretary/Treasurer

The Secretary and Treasurer is Max Wallace. Educated at Fort St Boys High, Max has a Master of Social Sciences degree from the University of Waikato, a Certificate of Proficiency in French from the University of Auckland and a PhD from Macquarie University.

He is the author of The Purple Economy: supernatural charities, tax and the state (Melbourne, 2007), editor of Realising Secularism: Australia and New Zealand, ANZSA, Melbourne, 2008. He has published widely in Dissent magazine, The Australian Humanist, The Open Society and On Line Opinion.

Max is also a council member of the New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists in Auckland.

Follow Max on Twitter.

Committee

John August
Nick Cao
Fred Flatow
Nick Marston

Allied Organisations

National Secular Lobby

The NSL advocates for a stronger voice for the nation’s secular majority. They are pro-secular rather than anti-religious and work towards the separation of religion and state, and the removal of undue religious privilege in legislation.

Rationalist Society of Australia

The RSA believes all decisions should be based on reason and evidence. Their mission is to campaign for rational public policy and promote reason in Australia, something they’ve been doing since 1906.