Church Act 1836

The Church Act, also known as the Church Building Act,[2] was a 1836 law in the Colony of New South Wales.

It was drafted by John Plunkett and enacted by the Governor, Sir Richard Bourke.

[3] It was subtitled "An Act to promote the building of Churches and Chapels and to provide for the maintenance of Ministers of Religion in New South Wales.

It thus led to the effective disestablishment of the Church of England.

[5][6] Bourke later extended the provisions of the Act to Methodist and Baptist churches, as well as the Jewish community, the latter an object advocated in the Legislative Council by William Wentworth.

The statue of Sir Richard Bourke outside the State Library of New South Wales notes in its inscription that he "established religious equality on a just and firm basis". [ 1 ]