A fair and equitable society
We believe in:
- Equal opportunity for all children
- Universal secular education
- Compulsory sex and drug education
- Anti-discrimination and anti-homophobia education
- Harm minimisation for drug users
- Crime prevention, not large prison populations
- Proper funding for our health system
- Fair wages and conditions
- Lower taxes and a broader tax base
- Properly funded social security and pensions
- A secular republic with an Australian head of state
The Secular Party believes that building a better society requires greater respect for secular values and morals based on universal principles such as compassion, freedom and justice. Developing freedom of thought, unconstrained by artificial divisions caused by religion and prejudice, is the best way of inspiring dedication to this common purpose. Laying these foundations within the education system is an essential step on the path to a fair and equitable society.
A rational solution to many social questions can be found by better application of the proposition that prevention is better than cure. The transparent application of balanced judgement in pursuit of objective principles is the best way of inspiring citizens to act responsibly. Justice must be seen to be done.
A society where compensation is based on inherited privilege rather than merit is inherently more inequitable. The Secular Party is in favour of an Australian republic because the concept of hereditary privilege, as embodied in the monarch as head of state, cannot be morally or practically justified.
The principle of utility is … that principle which approves or disapproves of every action whatsoever, according to the tendency it appears to have to augment or diminish the [benefit, advantage, pleasure, good, or] happiness … not only of every action of a private individual, but of every measure of government. Jeremy Bentham