The future of a club for pagans, witches and Satanists at the University of Adelaide is up in the air after a meeting on its registration was delayed by the body that decides on funding.
The Adelaide University Occult Club was formed in late 2020 and provisionally registered with the Adelaide University Union (AUU) in early 2021, but earlier this month an application for full registration was not approved.
Instead, it will go to the AUU's clubs committee for a decision next month.
Registration opens up funding for clubs, as well as access to space and equipment at the university.
AUU president Oscar Ong insisted the application had not been rejected, just "tabled" for a later decision, which he said was "standard procedure".
Adelaide University Occult Club president Ashley Towner told ABC Radio Adelaide that was very unusual.
"They tabled it on the basis that they are awaiting written complaints that don't exist yet," Ashley said.
"That's not really standard practice.
Group studies books and theories
The club includes Satanists, pagans and witches — both those that follow the Wicca religion and those that are non-theistic — as well as people who study the occult, called occultists.
Ashley said they did not practise any rituals on campus, since they did not agree on many religious tenets.
They instead discussed ideas and theories and studied books, Ashley said.
There are six Christian clubs, one Muslim club and a secular club registered with the union, according to its website.
"I just think it's very important to have that added diversity for people who don't fit into those essentially two religions that are given a platform on campus," Ashley said.
Ashley has written an open letter to the union, with 24 signatures, calling for the club to be registered and complaining about similar issues facing other groups.
Ashley plans to challenge the clubs committee's decision if it is not in the club's favour.
If registration is denied, the club would have to shut down and give its funds back to the AUU.
