Numbers tell another story

Two articles in last week’s edition (June 17-23) report on continuing efforts by the Christian right to control Australia’s political agenda by recasting it in their own image (“Hardline Christian hoping to replace Triggs” by Mike Seccombe, and “A good ending” by Andrew Denton). However, the 2016 Australian Election Study reveals that religious identity is not strong in Australia, with 48.3 per cent of Australians never attending a religious service and 65.4 per cent attending less than once a year, or never. It is from within the 16.2 per cent who regularly attend that the small minority of Australians are located who disagree far more frequently with “progressive” social policies than less religious Australians. The AES study found that assisted dying was supported by 77.4 per cent of Australians, with 13.1 per cent uncommitted and only 9.5 per cent opposed. Support by Anglicans was 79.4 per cent and Catholics 74.3 per cent. Politicians would do well to take note of robust evidence on where the power of the vote truly lies. It is not in the turned-up volume of the voice of church hierarchies and strongly committed affiliates. MPs should hold their nerve and act in the greater good – one that does not see virtue in suffering.