The Council of Australian Humanist Societies (CAHS) was established in 1965 when the Humanist Societies of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia affiliated to form a new national body. Queensland, after a name change, joined in 1967. Since then, CAHS' affiliated state societies have worked to lobby on a range of issues such as access to contraceptives, safe abortions, no-fault divorce, homosexual law reform and the right to voluntary euthanasia, among many other human rights issues. 

Currently, Humanist societies around Australia are considering the how Humanism can best serve Australia for the next 50 years and are actively discussing the ways we may need to change or where our efforts and focus should be.