Former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson OA will be speaking in Orange this Saturday, sharing his thoughts on religious liberty and the world economy.

Mr Anderson spent 19 years in the Australian Parliament and served in a number of senior Cabinet positions under Prime Minister John Howard. His time in Parliament included six years as the Leader of the Nationals and Deputy Prime Minister.

Mr Anderson stepped down as Leader of the Nationals in 2005 and retired from politics in 2007. He was named an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2011 for his distinguished service to the Parliament of Australia, particularly through his support of rural and regional communities.

In the first of two seminars on Saturday Mr Anderson will speak on freedom of conscience, speech, belief, religion and associations and the basis of Western Civilization and economic prosperity.

“The genius in Western freedom lies in the recognition that we have to be able to live with our differences and the way to resolve our differences is to talk to one another, not shout at one another,” said Mr Anderson.

“That has been the unique difference in Western cultures, and it has given rise to a great deal that we value, but now take for granted in an age when a lot of activists do not believe in reasoned debate at all.”

The result has been a fracturing of our society and politics, he said.

“There is no hope if good people will not understand the need to reinject respect for the dignity and worth of their fellow citizens, even when they disagree, into the public discourse.”

In the afternoon, Mr Anderson will turn his attention to the world economy.

“It focuses on understanding the very, very dangerous levels of indebtedness that now threatens Western freedom and how the origins are actually cultural,” he said.

“In recent decades, in an age of cheap credit… individuals, the corporate sector and governments have taken on truly frightening levels of indebtedness… The world financial system nearly failed ten years ago with the debt crisis of that time and yet the problem is we solved that debt crisis with more debt. We really need to be aware personally and also as a country of the need to be prudent going forward.”

Mr Anderson will be speaking as a guest of Raising Awareness Orange, at the New Life City Church, 90 Molong Road.

The first session runs from 10am-12pm, the second from 2pm-4pm.

For more information call Laurelle on 0408625829 or visit facebook.com/raisingawarenessorange