Nazis, earthworms, and dodgy journalism - Jason Ball - Young Australian Skeptics - 17/3

http://www.youngausskeptics.com/2010/03/nazis-earthworms-and-dodgy-journalism/

Atheism is a broad church - Catherine Deveny - Opinion - The Age 17/3

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/atheism-is-a-broad-church-20100316-qclu.html

No faith in their hatred - Andrew Bolt - Opinion - Herald Sun 17/3

http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/column_no_faith_in_their_hatred/

A carnival of unbelief - Nick Moodie - On-line Opinion 17/3

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=10185

Bad, bad media - PZ Myers - Pharyngula - 16/3

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/03/bad_bad_media.php

Fielding goes to ground after being likened to earthworm - Damien Murphy - Opinion - National Times - 16/3

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/contributors/fielding-goes-to-ground-after-being-likened-to-a-worm-20100315-q9pb.html

The weekend of non-belivers - Ian Robinson - On-line Opinion - 16/3

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=10184

Atheist ridicule won't win friends and influence people - Barney Zwartz - Opinion - The Age - 16/3

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/blogs/the-religious-write/atheists-ridicule-wont-win-friends-and-influence-people/20100315-q9wj.html

Dawkins preaches to the deluded against the divine - Melanie Phillips - Opinion - The Australian - 16/3

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/dawkins-preaches-to-the-deluded-against-the-divine/story-e6frg6zo-1225841086925

Catherine Deveny on ABC's Q&A - 15/3

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/txt/s2840015.htm

The rise and rise of atheism - Rachel Holkner - Opinion - The Guardian - 15/3

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/mar/15/global-atheist-convention-melbourne

Atheistic and Christian faiths - a contest of delusions? - Rowan Forster - On-line Opinion 15/3

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=10176&page=0

Mysterious rituals of the atheists - Stephen Bullivant and Lois Lee - Opinion - The Age 15/3

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/mysterious-rituals-of-the-atheists-20100314-q60k.html

Jason Ball interviewed on 'Breakie with Tom and Alex' - triple j - 15/3

http://www.umss.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Breakfast-with-Tom-Alex.mp3 [right click, save as]

Creating saints 'Pure Monty Python' says Richard Dawkins- Herald Sun - 15/3

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/creating-saints-pure-monty-python-says-richard-dawkins-about-mary-mackillop-at-the-global-atheist-convention/story-e6frf7kx-1225840868449

Dawkins derides sainthood as pythonesque - Sydney Morning Herald - 15/3

http://www.smh.com.au/national/dawkins-derides-sainthood-as-pythonesque-20100314-q676.html

Dawkins delivers the sermon they came to sear - The Age - 15/3

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/dawkins-delivers-the-sermon-they-came-to-hear-20100314-q63g.html

Celebrating life beyond belief - Miriam Cosic - The Australian - 15/3

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/celebrating-life-beyond-belief/story-e6frg6z6-1225840634149

Richard Dawkins on Sunday Night Safran - triple j - 14/3

http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/triplej/safran/safran_2010_03_14.mp3 (10 minutes in)

Melbourne hosts atheist convention - ABC News - 14/3

http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2010/03/14/2845398.htm

Hardcore and Hard - PZ Myers - Pharyngula 14/3

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/03/hardcore_and_hard.php

Q: What to these MPs have in common? A: They are out and proud atheists - The Age - 14/3

http://www.theage.com.au/national/q-what-do-these-mps-have-in-common-a-they-are-out-and-proud-atheists-20100313-q59i.html

Path to loosing his religion - Peter Munro - The Age 14/3

http://www.theage.com.au/national/path-to-losing-his-religion-20100313-q59j.html

Atheists, walk this way - David Horton - Opinion - Huffington Post - 14/3

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-horton/atheists-walk-this-way_b_498474.html

Religion needs atheism - Samir Selmanovic - Opinion - Huffington Post - 13/3

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/samir-selmanovic/religion-needs-atheism_b_498051.html

Govt urged to back Scientology inquiry - Nine News - 13/3

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/1026890/xenophon-says-scientology-a-cult

Wild times laughing with the godless - PZ Myers - Pharyngula - 13/3

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/03/wild_times_with_the_laughing_g.php

Opening night of the Global Atheist Conference - Natasha Mitchell - All in the Mind Blog - ABC - 13/3

http://blogs.abc.net.au/allinthemind/2010/03/opening-night-global-atheism-conference-2010-atheistcon.html

Atheist convention's first secular success - The Age - 13/3

http://www.theage.com.au/national/atheist-conventions-first-secular-success-20100312-q499.html

Uh oh, we aren't being nice and respectful - PZ Myers - Pharyngula - 12/3

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/03/uh-ohwe_arent_being_nice_and_r.php

Atheists meet in Melbourne to celebrate lack of faith - BBC - 12/3

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8563583.stm

2,500 atheists gather in Melbourne - Newser - 12/3

http://www.newser.com/story/83113/2500-atheists-gather-in-melbourne.html

Atheism - a fizzer or fantastic - Dick Gross - Opinion - National Times

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/blogs/godless-gross/atheism--a-fizzer-or-fantastic/20100311-pzwu.html

Faith falls down under - BBC - 9/3

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8555953.stm

Richard Dawkins on ABC's Q&A - 8/3

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/txt/s2831712.htm

ABC Religion Blog - Global Atheist Convention - 4/3

http://blogs.radionational.net.au/atheistconvention/

Barney Zwartz reports in the Age about the launch of atheist bus ads in Melbourne.

ATHEISTS have begun an advertising campaign on Melbourne buses, proclaiming ''Atheism - celebrate reason'', the first time they have entered the fray in such a public way.

The signs are on the backs of 24 buses until March 29, when the number will rise to 40 and the advertisements will be included on the sides as well, according to Atheist Foundation of Australia president David Nicholls.

''This is the first time we have advertised in public in such a big way - it's a very significant move forward for atheists,'' Mr Nicholls said.

Read more

Barney Zwartz writes on the sell out of tickets to the Global Atheist Convention in The Age

AN ATHEIST convention in Melbourne has sold out six weeks before it opens despite no aid from any level of government, organisers said yesterday.

Convention organiser and Atheist Foundation of Australia president David Nicholls said the state government had ''stabbed the people of Victoria in the back'' by not helping, forcing organisers to hire smaller venues.

The Global Atheist Convention, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on March 12-14, features a stellar line-up of presenters, including the world's best-known atheist, Richard Dawkins.

Read more ...

Continued discussion and commentary is occuring around the web, but here are some comments that have been published in The Age that you may find an interesting read.

Published Thursday 8/10
Money

THE Parliament of World Religions will receive $4.5 million from the taxpayer. Will the Atheist Foundation get its proportional $500,000? Somehow, I don’t think so.

Tony Dear, Forest Hill [Vic.]

Published Friday 9/10

'Worthless' causes

IT WAS a refreshing change to read "For Heavens Sake" by Geoff Lacey (Letters, 7/10). A sense of humour is a seemingly miraculous change from the outrage proffered as just cause for exemption from equal opportunity legislation and taxation obligations.

To answer Geoff's question (Why a conference?), I refer to a fraction of the documented concerns of most Australians. Religious groups file no income tax returns unless they agree and are exempt from GST, fringe benefits tax (of more than $15,000 per employee), stamp duty, payroll tax, land tax and rate payment. With the Roman Catholic Church being Australia's largest property owner, this is indeed only just.

Except for Israel and Hungary, Australia is the only nation in which religious groups have no obligation to pay any tax on commercial businesses or pay capital gains tax on the sale of assets. When religious groups begin providing financial services, they are free from regulation and compliance rules that are imposed on banks under the Banking Act. Once exempted, their operation is free from review by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority.

I empathise with Geoff's confusion: Australia is the land of The Great Fair Go, thus clearly doesn't need an atheist convention. Yet human rights, democratic freedom and basic tolerance for all will always find a voice - no matter how "worthless" he finds these quaint ideals. Oh, sorry, "atheist causes".

Paul Gallagher, Hawthorn East [Vic.]