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Meet the Candidate forums are set to significantly shape the 2025 federal election.

Initiated by Freedom for Faith, candidate forums are designed to provide “respectful, nonpartisan opportunities” for Christians and churches to ask questions and raise concerns about what is important to them.

The result is “an opportunity for Christian voters to hear directly from their candidates on a variety of issues, so that they can make a wise choice.”

Freedom for Faith is the catalyst organisation for these forums. But churches – not an organisation – are the real drivers.

“These forums are run by the church and not Freedom for Faith. We are just supporting them”, Freedom for Faith founder Mike Southon told The Daily Declaration.

“Rather, it is the churches of Australia rising up as one to hold forums across the country.”

Mike Southon, founder of Freedom for Faith, recently sat down with The Daily Declaration to explain more about the process and intent behind these forums and how Christians can work together to give them the best chance of success.

The Canberra Declaration Community is Having an Impact

Freedom for Faith first helped organise Meet the Candidate Forums for the 2023 NSW election. Local churches have never run forums for the federal election.

That is, until now.

The Canberra Declaration held a Christians in Politics Digital Summit on 19 February to increase the exposure and engagement of these candidate forums.

Before the Digital Summit, around 50 forums were in the process of organisation. But after the Summit, that number had jumped to around 70.

With an additional 20 forums (plus extra support in existing electorates), it was a result that Mike was very thankful for.

“It’s been very encouraging growth”, Mike says. The result was that after the Digital Summit, “almost half of the country had a church put their hand up” to run a forum.

“That’s unprecedented. That’s never happened in Australia before. That’s really exciting.”

Election Outcome: Critical for Christians

Southon believes that this election and the government that results from it will be critical for Christians.

“There used to be a time in Australia”, he begins, “where we had this agreement that different groups can believe different things, and can kind of go and do their thing.”

“If you believe this sort of thing about sexuality and marriage, you can go and live your way. If Christians believe different things, we can live our way.

“But increasingly, anti-discrimination legislation has really imposed on Christians and on churches and started saying, ‘Well, no, you actually can’t do your thing. You can’t believe what you believe.’

“At the federal level, we’ve seen attempts to really push hard against churches and Christians.”

“Those attempts haven’t been particularly successful. But they’re going to get stronger and stronger over the next few years.”

“The next government, the next three years, are really going to be critical for laying down what is an acceptable balance. What can Christians say? What can’t we say? Our next government is going to be debating all these things.”

When The Daily Declaration asked Southon what kinds of questions Christians could or should ask at these forums, some of the answers were surprising.

Freedom for Faith engaged with senior leaders in a wide range of churches. These senior leaders came back with five main questions they believed were the most pressing.

The first two questions revolve around the ability of Christians to live out their faith individually and within organisations.

These concerns are not surprising. Whether an individual or Christian church or school can believe and say there are only two biological genders or that marriage is between one man and woman has become a pressure point in contemporary society.

Also not surprising is a question about the cost of living – particularly as it affects the most vulnerable. The cost of energy, food and housing is increasing at astronomical rates and making the affordability of necessities incredibly difficult.

“Both sides of politics have very different views about how to solve those cost-of-living problems”, Southon explains, before adding, “We need to critically evaluate those views.”

But other answers were unexpected. Gambling is an ever-increasing issue, and the federal government has authority over some aspects of it. Poker machines are a state issue. However, sports gambling and gambling advertising fall under federal jurisdiction.

Also unexpected was a question about religious persecution in other countries.

“Currently, there is no pathway for a persecuted religious minority to be brought into Australia”, Southon reveals.

“There is for a persecuted racial minority. And we can bring them in as refugees.”

“But if you are a part of the dominant race, but you converted, for example, from Islam to Christianity, the government doesn’t have a framework for that.

“That is a really concerning oversight. And there are a lot of persecuted Christians around the world.”

The final question concerned the issue of the unborn. The NSW Greens are currently proposing to force Christian hospitals (and doctors and nurses) to provide abortions.

The federal government, through religious freedom legislation (and other means), could make such a proposal illegal.

Forcing doctors and nurses to refer people to abortionist doctors means they cannot act on their conscience, informed by their Christian belief, that abortion is the killing of innocent human beings.

This is a clear violation of religious freedom. Human rights – of which religious freedom is one – are primarily a responsibility of the federal government.

Christians Should be Concerned for the Good of All

Southon stresses that the candidate forums are not just about Christians standing up for their rights. “We care about our society. It’s not just us”, he replies.

“There are 10,000 ways that the government can affect our life and country. And Christians should be concerned about all of them.

“We are concerned about everything. But, specifically, as Christians, we have a unique question around religious freedom.”

Separation of Church and State?

When asked about the principle of the separation of church and state, Mike was quick to point out its historical meaning.

“Most people now interpret that phrase to mean that Christians can’t get involved in politics.”

“But the foundational concept… in the Australian Constitution is that the government is not supposed to interfere in how you go about living your faith.

“So, there shouldn’t be an established church. There shouldn’t be government dictates of, ‘You can’t believe this, you can’t believe that.’”

How Christians Can Make a Significant Impact

While Southon says it’s not too late for people to put their hand up to run a forum, time is fast running out.

With the election expected to be held on Saturday, 3 May, there are now only five weeks left to hold an event.

However, Mike told The Daily Declaration that anyone who would like to organise an event should promptly email him here.

Southon stresses that running an event is more straightforward than it might appear. “It’s fairly easy”, he says. “We have detailed how-to guides about all the stages of running the forums.”

“We will help you to invite the candidates and chase them up. We can help with all the stuff that you don’t know how to do.”

But he says there are other ways of making a significant contribution.

Christians can help in promoting events to other churches and assisting those in running the forums.

Plus, turning up to an event will be very helpful in making them a success.

“When there are 100 people at the forum, that’s alright. When there are 200 – that’s a real success.

“If we had 400 people at the forum – that’s a statement.

“No other group of people can get 400 people at a local electorate forum. And for the church to be able to say, ‘We really can mobile our people. We can get our people out to one of these things.’

“That makes politicians of both sides realise, ‘Oh, you’re serious, and we need to take your issues seriously.’”

Those who would like to find their nearest Meet the Candidates Forum can do so here.

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