The announcement by the Rev Hon Fred Nile MLC that he will not be seeking re-election in the March 2023 NSW State election clearly signals the decline, if not the death, of Christianity’s political influence, particularly in NSW.
Since the obliteration* of the Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group) [CDP] in March 2022, when the Supreme Court of NSW dissolved the CDP due to a protracted internal dispute, the significance and influence of Christianity in NSW politics was the final nail in the political coffin for ‘church and state’.
The seismic political decline of Christianity in Australia mirrors the decline of Christianity in general as faith continues to fall out of favor with the number of Australians who are not religious doubling over the past decade with almost 40 percent indicating, in the latest census, that they have no religious belief. [NB – the question of religious affiliation was an optional question in the last Census]
“It may not be politically correct to say so, but conservative life in general, coupled with the absence of a moral and ethical crusader, will result in an unimaginable life without a western and Christian cultural foundation. The decline of Christianity is a loss for all Australians,” said Greg Bondar, spokesman for the newly formed Christian Voice Australia.
For the first time in 43 years, there will be no recognisable Christian political party on the ballot paper in the 2023 NSW state elections. Has Fred Nile crossed the Rubicon for Christians in politics? - Ālea iacta est
NB
Declaration - Greg Bondar was the former Federal and NSW State Director of the Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group) from 2016 – 2019 and recently attended, on 15 September, Rev Nile’s private 88th birthday party held in the NSW parliamentary dining room.
*In June 2021, it was reported that the party had gone into receivership. On 17 March 2022, the federal branch of the party was deregistered by the AEC due to not meeting membership number requirements. On 29 March 2022, the Supreme Court of NSW dissolved the Christian Democratic Party.
Christian Voice Australia is a newly formed national advocacy group.
