The Ethics Centre, formerly the St James Ethics Centre, is a fully independent not-for-profit organisation which provides a non-judgmental forum for the promotion and exploration of ethics and ethical decision-making. The Ethics Centre works with business, professions, community groups, governments and individuals to encourage and assist them to include the ethical dimension in their daily lives. It is based in Sydney, Australia. Background The Ethics Centre was launched in 1989 by The Anglican Parish of St James' Church, Sydney in order to work with business in the city to promote ethics and ethical decision-making. In 1996, St James Ethics Centre became entirely independent from the church. It is now a secular organisation, open to those of any or no faith. The centre was renamed "the Ethics Centre". The centre's executive director, Dr Simon Longstaff, began his working life on Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory. He is proud of his kinship ties to the Anindilyakwa people. After a period studying law in Sydney and teaching in Tasmania, he pursued postgraduate studies as a Member of Magdalene College, Cambridge. In 1991, Simon commenced his work as the first executive director of the Ethics Centre. In 2013, he was made an officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for “distinguished service to the community through the promotion of ethical standards in governance and business, to improving corporate responsibility, and to philosophy.” Simon is an Honorary Professor at the Australian National University, a Fellow of CPA Australia, the Royal Society of NSW and the Australian Risk Policy Institute. Through his work at the Ethics Centre, Simon continues to discuss and examine ethics-related issues in the media. Description The centre works with businesses in Sydney, and has expanded to national and occasionally international projects. It receives no government funding and relies upon support from business and individuals. The centre offers Ethi-Call, a free "Ethics Counselling Service" to anyone who may be facing an ethical dilemma. According to the centre's website, it is believed to be the only service of its kind in the world and is the reason for the centre's classification as a public benevolent institution. Following almost eight years of lobbying by parents, the Federation of P&C Associations of NSW and the Ethics Centre, parliament amended the NSW Education Act on 1 December 2010 to give students who don't attend Special Religious Education/Scripture classes in NSW public schools the legal right to