
Standing Strong for Liberty: Christian Leaders Launch the Australian Christian Freedom Index
Last week, the Canberra Declaration was privileged to host the webinar launch of the Australian Christian Freedom Index (ACFI).
Several special guests joined us, with expertise in politics, law, and the importance of family, faith and Christian freedom to Australia. Each guest spoke about the declining ability of Christians to freely live out their faith.
As Michelle Pearse (CEO, Australian Christian Lobby) reminded us:
“Any time we are discussing religious freedom, it’s really not about self-interest. It’s not just about protecting ourselves.”
“It’s making the claim that we, as Christians, have something very good and very necessary to contribute.”
If we truly believe that Australia’s Judaeo-Christian values are for the good of all, then the ability of Christians to make that contribution to our country by freely practising our faith is an absolute necessity.
We wish to thank Michelle Pearse, Damian Wyld (Director, Australian Family Coalition), Peter Downie (National Director, FamilyVoice Australia), George Christensen (Former Federal MP; Founder, Nation First), Augusto Zimmermann (Constitutional Lawyer; Foundation Dean and Professor of Law at Alphacrucis University College, Sydney) and Canberra Declaration’s Kurt Mahlburg for their clear and powerful presentations as a part of the ACFI webinar launch. Don’t miss our our guest speakers as they share on this crucial topic in the video below.
“There’s Been Nothing Like This Before”: Critical Needs for a Crucial Project
Former federal MP George Christensen cut straight to the point about the upcoming ACFI 2025 report, saying:
“We haven’t had this before. It’s going to tell the world, and anyone who cares to listen, how far the freedom of Christians to profess their faith has slipped in this nation.”
“I can guarantee you, this document is going to show how big of a problem this is, and it’s probably going to shock many of us when we read the stories.”
We have two critical needs to see this project completed, and we cannot complete it without your help.
Firstly, please pray for those involved in putting this report together (particularly Kurt, who is doing the largest amount of collating and writing), including those giving specialist input, review and critique.
Secondly, we also have a great need to finance this project. As announced on Wednesday night, for every $50 (or greater) donation, you will receive a copy of the Australian Christian Freedom Index 2025 report in your letterbox.
Donate $50 and Receive Your Own ACFI 2025 Report in Your Letterbox
To give, simply go to the donate page on the Canberra Declaration website by clicking the orange box below.
Please ensure you write “ACFI” in the comment box and put in your address details (see below). We can’t post the 2025 report to you if we don’t have your address! (If giving by direct deposit, please write an email to us here and include your postage address.)

As George Christensen pointed out during the launch webinar, the ACFI 2025 report “can’t be a document that sits on the shelf. It’s ammunition. We need people out there firing that ammunition so that this becomes a real thing.”
Be sure to receive your copy of the 2025 report and place it in the hands of your local state and federal MPs, pastors, Christian leaders and anyone else who needs to know “how far the freedom of Christians to profess their faith has slipped in this nation.”
We thank our special guests for their powerful input on Wednesday night, and look forward to being able to place the 2025 ACFI report into the hands of many.
Together, we are making — and can make — a big difference for ourselves and future generations.
Yours for Christian liberty for the good of all,
Samuel Hartwich, Kurt Mahlburg and Warwick Marsh
Recent Articles:
1 July 2026
3.2 MINS
Senator Alex Antic introduced the Australian Christian Freedom Index to Federal Senate this week, placing the first systematic audit of Christian religious liberty in Australia into the parliamentary record.
1 July 2026
3.3 MINS
In a recent annual report from Buckingham Palace, the title “Defender of the Faith” has been replaced with a multi-faith alternative in describing King Charles III’s duties.
1 July 2026
2.7 MINS
Michelle Pearce has two urgent messages for Australian Christians: first, the erosion of religious freedom isn't perception — it's measurable fact. Second, staying silent isn't survival; it's surrender, and it's making things worse.
1 July 2026
4.9 MINS
Al-Qaeda believes Australia contains enough sympathisers to answer its call. Our leaders insist the real problem is people who notice.
1 July 2026
5.3 MINS
White guilt isn't just making young people uncomfortable — it's destroying their moral agency. Katharine Birbalsingh says the only antidote is a return to the conservative values that built the West, taught unapologetically to the next generation.
30 June 2026
4.1 MINS
From Navy SEALs stripped of pensions to teachers ordered to hide crosses, the Religious Liberty Commission's first report reveals a pattern of Americans forced to choose between their faith and their livelihoods—a finding that has prompted President Trump to declare a national mission to "bring back religion in our country, and bring it back quickly and strongly."
30 June 2026
2.4 MINS
The heatwave in Europe is real. But turning every summer tragedy into a climate morality play requires more imagination than science.





