The Protection of religious rights under Australian law

n 1998, Australia’s Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (‘HREOC’) issued a report in which it stated that the level of protection afforded to the right to freedom of religion and belief in Australia was relatively weak compared to a number of comparable countries. Although there have been a few changes in the intervening ten years, this article demonstrates that HREOC’s statement remains accurate. The article analyses and evaluates the Australian legal framework governing the right to religious freedom, the right not to be discriminated against on the ground of religion, and the right not to be subjected to religious vilification.