Does government funding of school chaplains threaten Australian secularism?

The government’s decision to continue the $243 million National School Chaplaincy Programme causes controversy.

Following the High Court’s June decision against direct federal payments to the National School Chaplaincy Programme as unconstitutional, the government has decided to continue funding the programme indirectly.

In order to protect the $243.8 million programme, the government is inviting states and territories to receive funding to run the programme themselves. According to a statement by the government, “The National School Chaplaincy Programme will be funded by the Commonwealth but delivered by the States and Territories”.