The Australian Catholic University (ACU) held its annual Federal Parliamentary Interfaith Breakfast on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, in the Great Hall at Parliament House in Canberra.
The TSA received an invitation in late October from our local member in Bentleigh, the Hon Tim Wilson MP, Member for Goldstein, inviting representatives from our community to attend the breakfast. Jess Blackwell and I accepted the invitation and had the privilege of being in Canberra on the day.
Gathering at Parliament House
We were seated at Tim’s table along with him and other participants, including Ewa Kluk, Executive Manager, ACU (who was our chaperone), David Lewis, Immediate Past President of the Great Synagogue in Sydney, the Rev Gabor Szabo, the Lutheran pastor for Canberra and Goulburn, Michael Lee, past principal for Mary MacKillop College, Canberra and Aidan Goldsmith, Board member of Greater Good, a public charitable foundation. In all, there were nearly 250 faith and community leaders and parliamentarians in attendance.
A shared space for dialogue and unity
The aim of the breakfast was to bring together religious leaders, parliamentarians and community figures for dialogue, to foster unity and to reflect on faith’s role in Australian democracy and its social cohesion. Following a Welcome to Country by Aunty Mary Atkinson, a Wiradjuri and Ngunnawal Elder, introductory remarks were provided by the Hon Milton Dick, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Keynote speakers were journalist Geraldine Doogue and ACU Vice-Chancellor Professor Zlatko Skrbis, both of whom presented on the themes of respect, shared values and strengthening community bonds. They each had a strong focus on the importance of faith in building a harmonious, inclusive Australia, especially amidst rising global tensions and, in hindsight, a poignant reminder in light of the Bondi mass shooting that occurred on December 14, just weeks after the event.
Courage, trust and shared democratic values
Geraldine spoke passionately about courage and faith, urging people to engage with the world, not retreat from it, highlighting courage as a key gift of the Holy Spirit for a “strong and supple” Australia.
Zlatko highlighted the Interfaith breakfast’s role in fostering dialogue amidst societal division, emphasising trust, dignity and shared democratic values, noting it as a vital space for diverse religions to connect and discuss faith’s community role, especially as Australia grows more secular but remains diverse.
Renewed vision and unexpected connections
I believe both Jess and I benefitted immensely from the interactions on the day, and we took away a renewed vision of the Faith Community and our role in Australian Society. Of special interest to me was the dialogue between Ewa (who is of Polish descent) and Gabor (who is of Hungarian descent), because the three of us are native German speakers (to a certain degree) and we could converse in German, which is always a highlight for me, lol!
Geraldine Doogue spoke passionately about courage and faith, urging people to engage with the world, not retreat from it.
Will we be back in 2026? I think ‘yes’ if at all practicable.
Top Image: Faith & Spiritual Elders Theo Richter and Jessica Blackwell with fellow guests at their table at the ACU Interfaith Breakfast, including Aidan Goldsmith, Michael Lee, Rev Gabor Szabo, Ewa Kluk, David Lewis and a representative from St Clare’s College (ACT). Photo: Aidan Goldsmith
