Members at Synod 2025 supported a number of important social justice resolutions.
Synod meetings are an opportunity for members across the Synod to discern important directions forward for the life of the Synod, including in the area of social justice.
The Justice and International Mission Cluster requested that the Synod consider proposals on five areas, and assisted in formulating a proposal responding to the recommendations of the Yoorrook Justice Commission.
The Yoorrook Justice Commission was an independent formal truth-telling process into historical and ongoing injustices experienced by First Peoples in Victoria.
Two of the proposals brought by the JIM Cluster related to areas that have a significant impact on our society and the world, being growing political and financial inequality and the regulation of activities of food corporations.
The Synod meeting adopted the proposal on democratic reforms to address growing political and financial inequality in Australia.
The two issues are related, as in our society, the greater the wealth a person has, the greater their ability to influence government decisions.
The proposal adopted a position that if all people are seen as equal before God, then our political systems should seek to reduce the influence of a person’s wealth in shaping the direction of government decisions.
The resolution included measures to restrict political donations while increasing the ability of people on lower incomes to have a greater say within the democratic system.
The resolution passed on the regulation of food corporations endorsed the Synod supporting several campaigns by public health organisations.
These included measures to curb excessive food consumption, curb harmful food marketing, improve food labelling and assess the long-term health risks of food additives.
Ultimately, the aim is to curb harmful activities by food corporations that place their profits ahead of the wellbeing of people and the natural environment.
The Synod meeting adopted a resolution to extend the Synod Emissions Reduction Fund (SERF).
The SERF provides funds to congregations and presbyteries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which aligns with the 2023 Synod resolution seeking to reach zero emissions by 2040 at the latest.
The resolution adopted at the 2025 Synod meeting requires that the Synod match, dollar-for-dollar, contributions from presbyteries, congregations, faith communities and individuals up to $100,000 to fund the SERF.
At the Synod meeting, the Presbytery of Port Phillip West pledged $30,000 towards the SERF, meaning the SERF will have starting funding of $60,000.
The Synod meeting also adopted a resolution, making the Synod’s default position to support non-violent peace-building organisations in response to situations of global injustice and armed conflict.
The immediate implication is that the Synod will continue to support Palestinian and Jewish Israeli organisations that seek an end to that conflict by non-violent means while seeking to address injustices inflicted on Palestinians.
The Synod meeting adopted a resolution welcoming the final reports of the Yoorrook Justice Commission.
The resolution established a working group to respond to the recommendations of the Commission, especially in relation to the period up to 1871 when colonial authorities reserved land for church purposes.
The working group will consider any other matters related to responding to truth-telling and Treaty processes within the geographical bounds of the Synod.
In summary, the Synod meeting set an ambitious social justice agenda.
