9th March 2010, 1500 AEDST

Christian Democrat Party leader and anti-pagan campaigner Reverend Fred Nile is out to destroy a teenage couple’s plans to be joined in a Pagan handfasting ceremony.

He was quoted today as saying: ”(Handfasting) can’t be in any way acknowledged by the state and should not be listed as a genuine wedding. Our party will do what it can to stop pagan weddings and witchcraft or Wicca activities.’’

Michael York will be attending the Pagans in the Cafe at the Black Rose Cafe in Liverpool on Monday night the 14/12/09.

Michael sat on many of the panels at the recent Parliament of the World's Religions in Melbourne.

Michael York is Professor of Cultural Astronomy and Astrol...ogy at Bath Spa University College, UK, an instructor at Cherry Hill Seminary, and author of "Pagan Theology: Paganism as a World Religion". We discussed the evolving place of modern Paganism at the Parliament, the importance of the Pagan voice in interfaith interactions, and how polytheism promotes democracy.

Michael has been involved in the ongoing discussions about definitions of Paganism on the Wild Hunt Blog - http://wildhunt.org/blog/2009/12/after-the-parliament-whos-indigenous-whos-a-nrm.html

Michael is wanting to meet a few Pagans from Sydney, so come along and join us for an evening of good company and good conversation.

Dr Patricia Rose and Dr Tricia Szirom are undertaking a study of the Goddess in Australia - how she is expressed, how worshipped, how manifest. They invite you to contribute to their work by completing our online survey.

The Parliament of the World's Religions brings together the world's religious and spiritual communities, to a gathering where peace, diversity and sustainability are discussed and explored in the context of interreligious understanding and cooperation.

Since 1993, a Parliament of the World's Religions has convened every five years in a major international city. The 2009 Parliament is being held in Melbourne, Australia.

Pagan participation has grown this year with many guests and speakers visiting from all over Australia and the world.

The Pagan Awareness Network has several delegates attending including David Garland (President) along with Gavin Andrew (Media Officer), Linda Ward (Interfaith Officer) and Lisa Kenny (PAN member). These lovely PAN people will be meeting local and international Pagan delegates and will also be available for interviews.

To coincide with the parliament several events have been organised by members of the local Pagan community:

• Melbourne Reclaiming, Parliament of the World's Religions Community Night
• Magick Happens and Cirque Noir

Television coverage of the Parliament can be seen on a-pac (Australia's Public affairs channel) and is also streamed from their website http://www.a-pac.tv/

To find out more about the Parliament of the world’s religions and keep up to date on Pagan happenings at the event please visit the links below:

• Parliament of the World's Religions Site
• Listing of Presentations by Pagans
• Pagans at the Parliament Blog
• Pagans at the Parliament Facebook Page
• Pagans at the Parliament Twitter Feed
• Earthspirit Blog
• Circle Sancuary Interfaith Blog

Ten Years of Triumph of the Moon, Academic approaches to studying magic and the occult: examining scholarship into witchcraft and paganism, ten years after Ronald Hutton’s The Triumph of the Moon A collection of essays edited by Dave Evans and Dave Green

Contributions by: Ronald Hutton, Amy Hale, Sabina Magliocco, Dave Green, Henrik Bogdan, Phillip Bernhardt-House, R.A. Priddle, Geoffrey Samuel, Caroline Tully & Dave Evans

The Victorian PAN committee will be presenting a Melbourne version of the successful Magick Happens event that PAN has been running in Sydney in past years.

Magick Happens takes place on Saturday the 5th of December 2009 at Arts House (North Melbourne Town Hall) to coincide with the World Parliament of Religions being hosted in Melbourne. Magick Happens will be followed by Cirque Noir a witches ball.

This day long event showcases goods, services, entertainers and information from the various spiritual, holistic, Earth honouring, and Magical communities, companies and individuals from all over Australia, and even overseas.

Magick Happens provides a great opportunity for these individuals and organisations to mingle with the community at large and promote their products and services. With local and international guest speakers, Pagan artists, various performances and a range of workshops, Magick Happens will be an opportunity to experience the vast diversity of this spiritual community.


Then once darkness falls, the black circus comes to life, bringing you a night of heathen passion thinly veiled behind velvet, silk and leather.

Come and dance with the internationally renowned Spiral Dance and Wendy Rule. Also appearing are The Stiletto Sisters, burlesque dancers, and various strolling performers, as they lead us to a dark world where the magick of the night comes alive. Finger food will be provided, and drinks are available on the night – this is a licensed event.

Come and be part of this unforgettable experience.

Visit www.magickhappens.com.au for more information

21st October 2009, 1030 AEDST

If convicted child sex offender and 'witch' Robin Fletcher is released back into the community, he will not be welcome among other witches and Pagans. That's according to the Pagan Awareness Network Incorporated (PAN), an association that represents followers of nature-based religions in Australia.

"Fletcher is regarded by the entire Pagan and witch community with revulsion," PAN President David Garland said today. "His claims that child sex is part of the Wiccan religion are false and contemptible – he has slandered our community in the worst possible way. Most people I talk to about this man would be happy if he simply died in prison."

October 30, 2009 1030 AEDST

It’s Halloween, and time for kids to dress up in their scariest costumes – as goblins and ghosts, as witches and devils, or even (gulp!) as televangelists. It’s time for carved pumpkins, things that go bump in the night, and of course, lots of processed sugar.

15th October, 2009 1100 AEDST

Pastor Danny Nalliah's call for Christians from around Australia to gather at Mt Ainslie on October 17th, 2009 is a good old-fashioned witch-hunt.

That's the view of the Pagan Awareness Network, an association that represents witches, Pagans, and other followers of nature-based religions in Australia.

"We're wondering if we'll see pitchforks and flaming torches at this event," Pagan Awareness Network President David Garland said today.

September 9th, 2009 1100 AEST

Bizarre accusations of animal sacrifice by a coven of witches are baseless, according to the Pagan Awareness Network.

The accusations, aired on the website of controversial Pastor Danny Nalliah, centre on Mt Ainsley in Canberra. Mr Nalliah alleges that fresh blood has been found there, the result of sacrifices by a local ‘witches coven’. He has called on Christians to engage in what he terms ‘spiritual warfare’, and claims that witches ‘are cursing the Federal Parliament’.

The Pagan Awareness Network Inc is proud to open the doors to our new web site www.paganawareness.net.au. The new layout provides fast access to the latest community information from around Australia in an easy to read format.

From the welcome page visitors can search, access news, events, information and more. The Join PAN page has an updated membership form and a range of payment and support options including PayPal. For more details about these convenient options please visit the Join Pan page.

A new forum is now available allowing visitors to quickly register and participate through the fully functional web forum. We invite you to visit our new online home and provide your feed back through the contact us link on the welcome page.