Not bigoted, just cheap?

Following on from today’s earlier post – A Victorian government spokesman has informed us that the Global Atheist Convention will not be funded because it doesn’t meet the funding criteria:

Government spokesman Luke Enright said: "The decision not to fund this event has nothing to do with religious ideology – the convention just doesn’t meet the criteria required to receive government funding".

Criteria include that the event has at least 1000 delegates and has not already been booked for Melbourne.

Kate Lahey, The Age November 26

Riiight!

Let’s see number of tickets sold for the Atheist convention so far = 1400 (out of a possible 2500) – criteria one met.

Event not already booked for Melbourne – hmmm, how does this one work.  The convention organisers approach Government and say,

“Hey we might hold a conference in your state if you give us some funding, we’ll just wait around until you do before we set anything in concrete”.  It seems the AFA and the Convention organisers needed to be a bit more coy.

It took the government 5 months to come to the decision not to fund the Convention. Questions we must ask are – Why it took so long?  Was the convention organiser made aware of this condition?  Did the Government  delay the decision making so as not to have to fund the convention?  Are the Victorian government just incompetent?

Now, if given the choice between funding someone who is well organised, and efficient and funding someone who has no plans set in concrete and may move their event to another state – who would you rather have your tax dollars spent on?

It was refreshing, to note that some Christians are smelling an undercurrent of bigotry in this decision.  Ms Colleen Hartland MP has accused the government of :

"vile" religious bigotry.

stating also that,

"Diversity does not just come in different religious beliefs, but also in the reasonable and intelligent rejection of those beliefs,"

So currently in Australia we have

• the federal government funding religious chaplains in state schools without evidence of efficacy
• Victorian Government funding religious conferences when organisers threaten to take their conference to another state?

Australia secular?  Its a wonder how with the Christmas lamb that we keep throwing to the religious.

Related posts:

1. Sir Humphrey would be proud…Victorian decision not to fund Atheists reads like the script of Yes Minister The events surrounding the decision not to fund the Global...
2. We don’t want your ungodly money The grumbling has started.  Apparently the Global Atheist Convention...
3. Global Atheist Convention Ticket Sales hit 1000 in first three weeks - Word is that 1000 of the 2500 tickets available...