Where is God? In light of the many human rights abuses occurring in the world, this is an entirely reasonable and fair question according to the President of the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA).

Tony Abbott decided yesterday to scrap funding for even modest human rights protection in Australia.

The Uniting Church has today voiced its disappointment at the Federal Government’s refusal to proceed with the development of a Human Rights Act for Australia.

The Uniting Church has today voiced its disappointment at the Federal Government's refusal to proceed with the development of a Human Rights Act for Australia.

The Uniting Church in Australia has written to all federal ALP MPs and Senators, urging them to implement the recommendations made in the report of the National Human Rights Consultation.

An historic report has found that human rights need greater protection in Australia, says the Uniting Church in Australia.

The Uniting Church in Australia is the only church formally supporting a Human Rights Act in Australia.

Australians will be shocked to learn that most of the rights protections we take for granted every day simply don’t exist. We are the ONLY democratic country in the world without a document formally shielding human rights.

The right to free speech, the right to be treated with dignity and respect, the right not to be held without charge, and the right not to be mentally or physically tortured, or mandatorily detained for an indefinite period, are some of the human rights ignored under our legislative system.

Where is God for those being raped and tortured in the Congo? Where is God for those in the Philippines facing military and government intimidation to accept mining by Australian companies? Where is God for people in Kiribati and Tuvalu who need to relocate to another country because of climate change? Where is God for those being abused, threatened, tormented and killed in Zimbabwe? Where is God for 100,000 Australians sleeping on the streets every night? Where on earth is God?

The answer, said UCA President, Rev Gregor Henderson, is that God is there in the midst of the suffering and God is there in the midst of our work to overcome these human rights abuses.

The Uniting Church in Australia has today reaffirmed its opposition to the death penalty, amidst speculation that the execution of three men responsible for the 2002 Bali Bombings is imminent.