Christian Workers Advocacy Petition

Dear fellow Australians,

We are the Christian Workers Advocacy, and we are writing to draw attention to a disturbing issue in our communities: the exploitation of Christian workers in churches across Australia.

 

Sadly, there have been numerous reports of Christian workers being exploited by the very institutions that are meant to support and uplift them. Whether it is the lead minister, the head pastor, or the denominational authorities, these workers are being mistreated and denied the justice, fairness, love, and respect that they deserve.

 

Here are some quotes from Christian workers who have been exploited:

‘I experienced many years of abuse, from the beginning of my time of employment…The bullying included belittling, threatening, labelling, intimidation, public ridiculing, personal and professional dismissiveness, racist comments, withholding of funds/access/permissions, and minimising of serious personal and family issues…serious clinical damage was inflicted on me and every single member of my immediate family… I came very close to quitting and reporting the situation to the PSU, but both these options would have done damage to the organisation. And since the perpetrator is generally applauded, despite concerns raised previously by me and others, I had no confidence that quitting or reporting would have had any decent or positive outcome.’

 

‘I really just wanted my perpetrator to realise that his actions, words etc have consequences…and that his behaviour can have long term effects…’

 

‘I’m in a position now of bullying but too scared to do anything about it as I’ve seen what happens to others. Getting counselling and will probably resign before I am beyond help.’

 

‘I’m broken. I was powerless to be heard, was gaslighted on my experience, and the imbalance of power was significant. I wish I’d had someone in my corner. Instead I have removed myself from fellowship and never want to work with a Christian organisation ever again…’

 

‘Following my experience I have been unable to trust colleagues in my workplace. I have been left with emotional and mental scars and am still participating in occasional counselling. I become overwhelmed easily and I retreat, some times for days at a time making living a normal life difficult. Most sadly, I have turned away from the Church and my Church community.’ 

 

'I watched many many others go before me and it was totally crushing to me, so when it happened to me, I was particularly vulnerable and didn't have the strength to fight it.’ 

 

‘It seems that the higher up in the hierarchy, the less accountable people become for their behaviour. The people I reported to had a duty of care to at least speak to the alleged perpetrators. Instead, they admitted there was nothing that could be done given the position of the alleged perpetrators, so they tried to make arrangements so that I would stay away rather than making the working environment safer.’

 

As a group, we firmly believe that every worker, regardless of their religious affiliation, should be treated with dignity and respect. 

 

The Australian Fair Work Act provides a legal framework for employment relationships in Australia, including provisions on minimum wage, working conditions, and protection against discrimination and unfair treatment. However, there have been cases where church organizations have been found to be in breach of these provisions, which is unacceptable. We believe that all employers, including churches and church organizations, must follow the same legal requirements to ensure that workers are treated fairly.

 

Similarly, the Corporations Act requires companies and organizations to act in good faith and exercise their powers in the best interests of the company. As such, church organizations should not only consider their religious mission but also the well-being and fair treatment of their workers. We believe that all church organizations, just like any other company, have a moral and legal obligation to act in the best interests of their workers and follow the requirements set out by the Corporations Act.

 

Lastly, many churches and church organizations in Australia enjoy tax exemptions or tax-deductible status as registered charities. This means that they receive significant financial benefits from the government, which should come with the expectation that they are acting in the public interest. We believe that these tax exemptions should be used as a basis for churches and church organizations to improve their employment practices and ensure that their workers are treated with fairness and respect.

 

We appeal to all Australians, regardless of their religious affiliations, to stand with us in support of our petition. Our goal is to stop this exploitation from happening and ensure that Christian workers are treated fairly and justly in our communities.

 

We specifically call out the Sydney Anglican Diocese as an institution that has been identified as one of the offenders. However, our petition is not limited to this institution alone. It is a call for action to all churches and church organizations to treat their workers with respect and to follow the laws that govern employment in our country.

 

There are several actions that the Australian federal government could take to address the issue of exploitation of Christian workers in churches across the country. Here are the actions we would like to put before the current government as part of this petition:
 

1. Conduct an investigation: The government could launch an investigation into the extent of the problem of exploitation in churches and church organizations across the country, and identify the specific areas where reform is needed.

2. Enforce existing laws: The government could enforce existing laws such as the Fair Work Act and the Corporations Act to ensure that churches and church organizations are complying with the minimum standards of employment practices and ethical behavior. They could also consider expanding these laws to cover religious organizations.

3. Develop new legislation: The government could create new legislation specifically focused on the employment practices of churches and church organizations, including regulations around salaries, hours of work, leave entitlements, and more.

4. Improve governance and oversight: The government could implement better governance and oversight mechanisms for churches and church organizations to ensure that they are acting in the best interests of their workers and are following established ethical guidelines.

5. Raise awareness: The government could raise public awareness about the issue of exploitation in churches and encourage individuals to report any cases of mistreatment.

6. Provide support for victims: The government could establish a support system for victims of exploitation, including providing counseling and legal support.

 

We hope that you will join us in our efforts to ensure that all Christian workers in Australia are treated with fairness, love, and respect. We will present this petition to State and Federal politicians to take action, and we urge you to sign and share our petition to make a difference.

 

Sincerely,

 

The Christian Workers Advocacy