Kirby on secularism and religion

I have for a while now been noting the over-representative influence the loony tunes religious fundies are getting here. The Australian Christian Lobby having a personal ear to highly ranked politicians for example. 

Now former high court justice Michael Kirby (who's gay) has made some comments shedding further light on it all. He gives a very valid description of what's currently going on in Australia. 

A greater danger than the community’s lack of interest in national legal protections was the growing influence of religious organisations, which Kirby said should “enliven deep concern amongst Australians”. 

“We are in danger of losing [secularism] in Australia under the influence of wedge politics, telephone calls by high religious office holders to members of their faiths in Parliament to influence their votes, and the devotion of huge amounts of federal taxpayer funds to support religious institutions financially,” he said. more

A country that prides itself on being secular as we do, shouldn't be having it's political leaders unduly influenced. This is a democracy, not a religious dictatorship. Unfortunately, with the two major parties at each others throats, issues get turned into political machinations by both sides to get the upper hand.