Australian Army Journal

RELIGION
Religious Diversity in the Australian Army:
The Next Diversity Frontier?
37 In the 2011 National Census, 39.6% of 20 to 29 year olds either had no religion or their religion
was not stated.
38 Comparisons over the same time-frame are not possible given the census timings; however,
between 1996 and 2011 the proportion of Buddhists increased from 1.1% to 2.5%, Hindus
increased from 0.4% to 1.3% and Muslims from 1.1% to 2.2%.
39 Data was obtained via the ABS Survey TableBuilder available through the link http://www.abs.
gov.au/websitedbs/censushome.nsf/home/tablebuilder. Fields used were AGE5P – Age in Five
Year Groups and RELP – religious affiliation. Table developed and last viewed on 27 June 2013.
40 The propensity of people of non-Christian affiliation to join the military may not be the same as
others; nonetheless, recruiting opportunities may still exist.
41 Bledsoe, The Use of Culture in Operational Planning.
42 Given a national population of 1.55 million people with non-Christian affiliation, including
370,000 from the recruiting demographic of 20-29 year-olds, a strength of 320 would intuitively
seem to be below what might be available from this population.
43 See C. Dandeker & D. Mason, ‘Diversifying the Uniform? The Participation of Minority Ethnic
Personnel in the British Armed Service’, Armed Forces & Society, 29 (4), 2003, pp. 481–507; H.
Jung, ‘Can the Canadian Forces Reflect Canadian Society?’, Canadian Military Journal, 8 (3),
2007, pp. 27–36.
44 Dandeker & Mason, ‘Diversifying the Uniform?’, p. 488.
45 See Australian Army, Chief of Army Directive 02/12 Army Indigenous Strategy, p. 1.
46 There are several examples of this in the United Kingdom where studies have found that
Hindus and Muslims are reluctant to join the military, although some of this reluctance may
have resulted from perceived racism. See Hussain, ‘The British Armed Forces and the Hindu
Perspective’, pp. 197–212; Hussain, ‘British Pakistani Muslims’ Perceptions of the Armed
Forces’, pp. 601–18. Representation is also discussed in Jung, ‘Can the Canadian Forces
Reflect Canadian Society?’, pp. 27–36; Dandeker & Mason, ‘Diversifying the Uniform?’, p. 489.
47 Dandeker & Mason, ‘Diversifying the Uniform?’, p. 491.
48 I believe 5% is a reasonable and achievable objective subject to considerations such as
propensity to join.
Australian Army Journal
Culture edition 2013, Volume X, Number 3 Page 96