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About Mark Sneddon

Mark Sneddon is the Executive Director of the Institute for Civil Society, a social policy think tank based in Melbourne.

Deficient Legal Protections for Supporters of Traditional Marriage: Mark Sneddon on SSM

Mark Sneddon quoted in The Australian: "Rights Clash Looms in Same-Sex Debate" by Paul Kelly, 12/8/17 "Institute for Civil Society executive director Mark Sneddon summarises his views based on his submission to the Senate committee: “I am extremely concerned about the lack of legal protection across this country in terms of freedom of conscience, belief

By | August 12th, 2017|Freedom of Conscience and Religion|

Senator Smith’s SSM Bill Inadequate: ICS Calls for Robust Protection of Speech and Religion

 Mark Sneddon quoted in The Australian: "Christians Plan to Target Coalition" by Simon Benson, 8/8/17 "Institute for Civil Society executive director Mark Sneddon, a board member of Freedom for Faith, yesterday warned there were holes in Australia’s discrimination regime that would be exacerbated by the legislation of same-sex marriage. He called for urgent changes to

By | August 8th, 2017|Freedom of Conscience and Religion|

Bureaucrats Play God, Break Caesar’s Law

Education Department officials in Queensland have decided that primary school students can’t talk about Christianity or even give Christmas cards because this is “evangelism” and creates an unsafe environment. This policy, which officials admit is unsupported by any statute or regulation, has the smell of totalitarianism. It also has the smell of discriminatory bigotry. It doesn’t apply to

By | August 4th, 2017|Freedom of Conscience and Religion|

Do We Have a Right to Free Speech? Hope 103.2 Interview with Mark Sneddon

On Sunday 2nd of April, ICS Executive Director Mark Sneddon was interviewed by Stephen O'Doherty for Open House, a current affairs program on Hope 103.2 (Sydney). Mark and Stephen discussed the importance of the freedom of speech in Australian society in the context of section 18C. Mark maintained that the irresponsible use of free speech should primarily

By | April 20th, 2017|Freedom of Expression|

Exposing Complicity in the Global Slave Trade: Is it Time for a Modern Slavery Act in Australia?

Modern slavery rarely uses the shackles, whips, ships' holds and slave markets historically associated with the transatlantic slave trade of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Britain legislated to abolish slavery in 1833 after years of lobbying by William Wilberforce and others. But slavery has not gone away. As far as the world may have come

By | March 21st, 2017|Freedom from Slavery|

Summary of Senate Select Committee Report on Same-Sex Marriage Bill and Religious Freedom 15 February 2017 and ICS’s contribution to the Report

On 15 February the Senate Select Committee handed down its report on the Exposure Draft of the Marriage Amendment (Same-Sex Marriage) Bill.1 Key points  The Senate Select Committee stated in its report that: in the short term there is a need to enhance current protections for religious freedom generally. there was broad agreement that any future

By | February 27th, 2017|Freedom of Conscience and Religion|

ICS Submission to Senate Inquiry on Same Sex Marriage

In late 2016 the Australian Senate established a committee to inquire into the Marriage Amendment (Same-Sex Marriage) Bill. The committee called for submissions exploring: the proposed exemptions for ministers of religion, marriage celebrants and religious bodies and organisations to refuse to conduct or solemnise marriages, and the extent to which those exemptions prevent encroachment upon

By | January 31st, 2017|Freedom of Conscience and Religion|

Answers to Questions on Notice from the Senate Select Committee on the Exposure Draft of the Marriage Amendment (Same-Sex Marriage) Bill

The Institute for Civil Society (Mr Kennedy and Dr Rodrick) gave evidence to the Committee on 23 January 2017 and undertook to take the following question on notice. Mark Sneddon - Executive Director Simon Kennedy - Research Analyst Dr Sharon Rodrick - Research Analyst 30 January 2017 www.i4cs.com.au contact@i4cs.com.au QoN 1: Senator Pratt – Would

By | January 30th, 2017|Freedom of Conscience and Religion|

The State as Hire Authority

A bill before the Victorian Parliament professes to put an end to discrimination, but the result will be nothing of the kind. What it would achieve is nothing less than the formal rejection of the idea that diverse views are integral to the conduct of a civil society The difference between religious and government schools

By | October 30th, 2016|Freedom of Association|