Esther commented on David Nicholls's question: “David, the Atheist Foundation, as anyone with a minimum knowledge of what counselling involves, has stated that school counsellors should be professionals specifically qualified for this task. The AF, nor any organisation, should be providing this service; only professional psychologists.”

Esther commented on David Nicholls's question: “John Howard justified funding religious schools by stating that parents were given the possibility to choose the sort of education they wanted for their children. Julia, what sort of choice do secular parents have? We have no choice other than the government school "zoned" for our neighbourhood. And our choice is not even respected in this case. We demand that our choice of secularity in education be respected. Our child should not be subjected to the influence of chaplains in secondary school. It is already bad enough that he lost half an...”

Esther commented on David Nicholls's question: “Julia, why is it that Labor has this inferiority complex and maintains the irrational policies of the Howard government? Why can't you show real leadership turn Australia into a modern, vibrant, secular society, with guaranteed freedom of and from religion? Stop using taxpayers' money to fund the subjective, unfounded beliefs of a few.”