A journalist and former government adviser will deliver a free talk on the separation of the state and religion on Monday as part of Bendigo Library’s Salon of Big Ideas program.
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Michael Smith, a Chewton resident, former senior adviser in the Howard and Kennett governments and a writer for The Australian and other publications, said the church and state were the same for thousands of years.
"This has caused all sorts of problems in society. For years, in England, and many other countries, a man could not be charged with rape of his wife,” Mr Smith said.
“It was only in 1993 that the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights established marital rape as a human rights violation.
"A member of the British Royal Family is forbidden to marry a Muslim. What sort of example is this setting?”
Mr Smith said in Australia, the line between marriage laws and religion had been blurred.
He is calling for the state and religion to be fully separated.
The Salon of Big Ideas program features monthly talks and discussions with guest speakers, covering politics, ethics, culture, religion, philosophy, and current affairs.
Mr Smith will speak at Bendigo Library at 5.30pm on Monday, September 4.
He will also deliver his talk at Castlemaine Library on Tuesday at 5.30pm.
