LAA 2025: Meg Wallace
Meg Wallace
We are pleased to announce that Meg Wallace has been awarded Humanists Australia's Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising her contributions as an author, advocate for secularism, and former role as president of the Secular Association of NSW. This honour acknowledges her work in thought leadership and activism that has influenced the humanist and secular communities in Australia and beyond.
Meg is the author of "Freedom From Religion: Rethinking Article 18," an examination of religious freedom in the context of human rights. This work argued that as well as freedom of religion we need a stronger focus on freedom from religion to fully realise human rights for everyone. Her book has been noted for its analysis and argumentation, challenging readers to reconsider the role of religion in public life and the importance of maintaining a secular state.
As a former law lecturer, Meg brought her deep legal expertise to bear on complex questions of religious freedom, human rights, and secular governance. Her academic background provided the intellectual foundation for her later advocacy work, enabling her to craft sophisticated arguments for the separation of church and state based on sound legal principles.
As president of the Secular Association of NSW (formerly the Rationalist Society of NSW), Meg was a leader who championed secularism with dedication. She worked to promote the separation of church and state, advocating for policies that protect the rights of all individuals, regardless of their religious beliefs or lack thereof. Her leadership extended beyond NSW through her role as a committee member of the National Secular Lobby, contributing to efforts to advance secular governance.
Meg's scholarly contributions extend beyond her landmark book. Her academic papers, including works on secular education and the meaning of secularism, have helped shape contemporary debates about religious freedom and state neutrality. Her essay "Free, compulsory and secular?" examined secular education as a human right, while her work "Secularism: They just don't get it!" addressed common misunderstandings about what secularism means in modern democratic societies.
Throughout her career, Meg has been supported by her husband, Max Wallace, a loving partner who shares her commitment to humanist principles. Max's own significant contributions to the secular movement, including his work with the NSW Secular Association and his scholarly publications, have made them a formidable team in advancing the cause of religious freedom and secular governance.
This Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes Meg's intellectual contributions to secular thought and her practical impact as an organiser and advocate. Her work has influenced many to join the movement for secular governance, one that supports evidence-based decision-making and protects the rights of all citizens.
As we acknowledge this recognition, we also note the continuing relevance of Meg's work. Her scholarship and advocacy provide insights for those working to maintain the separation of church and state and to ensure that public policy is based on reason, evidence, and a commitment to human rights.
Meg Wallace's Lifetime Achievement Award reflects a career dedicated to advancing humanist values and secular principles. Her work continues to inform colleagues and successors as they carry forward the causes she has championed throughout her career.
