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Grampians: Religious Fatwa imposed on climb ban critic

In Australia, we believe we live in a secular state where religion and government are separate. There is a clause in the Commonwealth Constitution that prevents the government from establishing a state religion or imposing religious observance.  Section 116 states: The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth. 
Victoria has a bill of rights that protects twenty one fundamental human rights including:

  • Right to freedom of movement (section 12) 
  • Right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief (section 14)
  • Right to freedom of expression (section 15)
  • Right to taking part in public life (section 18)
  • Cultural rights (section 19)
With this in mind, how did we end up with a religious fatwa being imposed on climbers at Ayers Rock? Now in the Grampians a climbing instructor critical of the Victorian Governments imposition of bans on climbing in the Grampians has been banned from teaching in the Park. It seems the fight to access our wilderness areas without being forced to observe another's strange religious culture has just begun.  The Australian report.....

Anger as critic of Grampians climb ban banished

One of Australia’s most experienced rock-climbing instructors has been banned from teaching in the Grampians National Park over her opposition to Victorian government policy, sparking ­industry outrage.

On Wednesday, Parks Victoria banned Tori Dunn from teaching at the Grampians’ Summer­day Valley after she used social media to express concerns about ­reduced access for rock climbers.

Ms Dunn is concerned about being excluded from new cultural awareness courses that enable her to remain accredited as a ­licensed tour operator in the Summerday Valley area, which has some of Australia’s best and safest climbing routes for teaching children.

“I feel like I’m being targeted and bullied,’’ she said.

However, she intends to teach a group on Thursday in Summerday Valley, opening up the way for potential conflict with Parks Victoria. Parks Victoria said trad­itional owners wanted someone else to teach her climbing classes, heralding a dramatic escalation of the dispute.

read the rest at the link. 

Recall the level of deceit from Parks Victoria when the bans were announced earlier this year: 

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