Part 4.3: Freedoms

Three core freedoms underpin Australian society. These freedoms are not absolute — they must always be exercised within the law — but they are fundamental to what it means to live in Australia.

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Speech & Expression

Say, write and express what you think. Criticise the government. Create art and literature. Protest peacefully — all within the law.

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Association

Join or leave any legal group voluntarily — political parties, unions, religious or cultural groups. No one can force you to join or leave.

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Religion

Follow any religion or none at all. The government treats all faiths equally. Australia has no official national religion.

Freedom of Speech & Expression

Freedom of speech is a core Australian value and underpins our democratic system. In Australia, people are free to say and write what they think, discuss ideas with others, criticise the government, and campaign to change laws.

Freedom of expression also covers art, film, music and literature. People are free to meet in public or private places for social or political discussion, and to protest peacefully against government decisions.

Limit: At all times, even while exercising freedom of speech, Australian laws must be obeyed. You must also respect other people's freedom of speech and expression. Promoting violence against a person or group is against the law.

Never acceptable: It is against Australian values and law to promote violence against another person or group because of their culture, ethnicity, religion or background. It is also illegal to make false allegations or encourage others to break the law.

Freedom of Association

In Australia, people are free to join or leave any legal group voluntarily. You can join a political party, trade union, religious group, cultural group or social group — or choose not to join any group at all.

Australians can also gather freely with others, including to protest against a government action or an organisation. However, all gatherings and protests must be peaceful and must not injure any person or damage property.

Key Rule: Individuals cannot be compelled to join an organisation or forced to leave one. The choice is always yours — as long as the organisation is lawful.

Freedom of Religion

Australia has no official national religion. The government is secular — it operates separately from churches and other religious entities. People in Australia are free to follow any religion they choose, or to follow no religion at all.

Australia has a Judaeo-Christian heritage, and many Australians describe themselves as Christians. Public holidays such as Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Christmas Day reflect this heritage — but all faiths are welcomed and treated equally.

Principle	What It Means
No official religion	Australia has no state religion. Government and religion are separate.
All faiths equal	The government and law treat all citizens equally, whatever their religion or beliefs.
Australian law prevails	Where there is a conflict between Australian law and a religious practice, Australian law always prevails. Religious laws have no legal status.
Some practices illegal	Polygamy (being married to more than one person) and forced marriage are illegal in Australia and can result in severe penalties including imprisonment.

Critical: Religious laws have no legal status in Australia. Australian law must be followed by everyone in Australia — including where it differs from religious laws.

Key Points to Remember

Freedom of speech allows criticism of government and peaceful protest — within the law
Promoting violence against any person or group is against Australian values and law
You cannot be forced to join any organisation — freedom of association is voluntary
Protests must be peaceful and must not injure people or damage property
Australia has no official religion — the government is secular
Australian law always prevails over religious practices if there is a conflict
Polygamy and forced marriage are illegal in Australia

Quick Check

Score: 0/5 — 5/5 required

Question 1 of 5

Can Australians peacefully protest against decisions made by the government?

No — criticising the government is not permitted Yes — peaceful protest is protected as an essential part of democracy Only if they have a permit from the government first

Why it matters: Freedom of speech includes the right to peacefully protest against the government. Tolerance of peaceful public protest is an essential part of Australian democracy. However, protests must always be peaceful and within the law.

Question 2 of 5

Is it acceptable in Australia to promote violence against a person because of their ethnicity or religion?

Yes, if it is within the context of freedom of speech Only if it is not directed at a specific individual No — it is against Australian values and law, regardless of the circumstances

Why it matters: Promoting violence against any person or group based on their culture, ethnicity, religion or background is both against Australian values AND illegal. Freedom of speech does not protect hate speech or incitement to violence.

Question 3 of 5

Can a person be forced to join a religious or cultural group in Australia?

No — freedom of association means individuals cannot be compelled to join any organisation Yes, if the group is officially registered with the government Only if the person's family or community requires it

Why it matters: Freedom of association is a fundamental right. No person can be compelled (forced) to join any organisation — whether a political party, religious group, trade union or social group. The choice to join or leave is always voluntary.

Question 4 of 5

Does Australia have an official national religion?

Yes — Christianity is the official national religion due to Australia's heritage No — Australia has no official national religion; the government is secular Yes — but all other religions are also tolerated

Why it matters: Australia has no official national religion. While Australia has a Judaeo-Christian heritage, the government is secular (separate from religion) and treats all citizens equally regardless of their faith. People are free to follow any religion or none.

Question 5 of 5

If there is a conflict between an Australian law and a religious practice, which takes precedence?

The religious practice, because freedom of religion is a fundamental right It depends on which religion and what the practice is Australian law always prevails — religious laws have no legal status in Australia

Why it matters: Religious laws have no legal status in Australia. Where there is a conflict between Australian law and a religious practice, Australian law always prevails. This is why practices like polygamy and forced marriage — even if permitted by some religious traditions — are illegal in Australia.

Freedom of Speech, Association & Religion

Freedom of Speech & Expression

Freedom of Association

Freedom of Religion

Key Points to Remember

Quick Check