But despite the easy co-existence of her rosary beads and the copy of the declaration,the NSW senator sees a worrying divide between religious and non-religious Australians.
As Parliament prepares to consider religious discrimination laws,she warns the country is in the grip of a"tribal fundamentalism",where"artificial divisions"are established between different groups. She toldThe Sydney Morning Herald andThe Age this includes an"ascendancy of language around secularity"that is trying to silence the perspectives of people of faith.
"One of things I fear is that somehow[the] public debate about who you are has tried to sheer off one group off from another,"she said. Senator O'Neill said all Australians should feel free to"come out and be who they are in a public place".
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The senator,who is a key voice on religious matters within the ALP,warned divisions between these different groups can have dangerous and damaging consequences.
"It leads to social unrest,"she said."It leads to the liberation of strident voices and a lot less listening."
The Morrison government released a draft religious discrimination bill in late August,with public submissions closing last week. While religious and legal groups have welcomed the bill,many stakeholders - from across the political and religious spectrum -have raised serious issues with the fine print. Labor is still consulting and has not released a position on the draft laws.