Atheist Foundation of Australia

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The Atheist Foundation of Australia, Inc. was established in South Australia in 1970, when The Rationalist Association of South Australia decided upon a name change to better declare their basic philosophy, namely atheism.

The Atheist Foundation of Australia defines Atheism as "the acceptance that there is no credible scientific or factually reliable evidence for the existence of a god, gods, or the supernatural."

The Foundation rejects belief in God, and rejects the supernatural and superstition in general. The Foundation considers religion unnecessary and often harmful. The Foundation favours the scientific method, and the discovery of physical laws, as the best way to understand the truth about reality.

The Foundation believes that humans are rational and ethical beings, capable of making responsible and creative contributions to society.

The Foundation's stated aims are:

To encourage and to provide a means of expression for informed free-thought on philosophical and social issues.
To safeguard the rights of all non-religious people.
To serve as a focal point for the fellowship of non-religious people.
To offer reliable information in place of superstition and to offer the methodology of reason in place of faith so as to enable people to take responsibility for the fullest development of their potential as human beings.
To promote atheism.

The Foundation publishes 6 issues of The Australian Atheist per annum.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics in the national census categorises atheists under "No Religion". The 18.7% (Census 2006) of Australians that fall within this category also include Humanists, agnostics and rationalists.