Aunty ABC on 20th June 2012:
“A Queensland man has won his High Court challenge to the Commonwealth's funding for school chaplaincy programs.
Toowoomba father Ron Williams had challenged the program on the basis Commonwealth officers are not allowed to be subject to a religious test under the Constitution.
The court dismissed that claim, but did find the Commonwealth had no power to enter the agreement which funded the program.
The national chaplaincy program was set up in 2007 by the Howard government to provide for the spiritual wellbeing of students.
It was later modified by Labor to allow schools to choose to employ either a chaplain or a non-religious student welfare worker.
Under the program, schools could choose to employ a chaplain for spiritual guidance although pushing religion was banned.
Today's decision against the program will affect around 2,500 chaplains across Australia….
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said it would be a "real pity" if the chaplaincy program was not able to continue.
"We invented the program, we support the program, we want it to continue," he said.
"Let's look at the court's decision and let's see what the Government has in mind."
To be continued............
To be continued............
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