The British colony of South Australia was a social and religious experiment with no established church or state religion. This differed from all previous British colonies, which had allowed for direct financial support of religion from state coffers. South Australia, it was envisaged, would be neutral in regard to religion, but not lacking in religion. In 1846 Governor Robe's decision to provide state funding to churches caused much controversy and saw the formation of the League for the Maintenance of Religious Freedom as a lobby group. In the lead up to the elections for the first Legislative Council in 1851 the League worked untiringly. District committees were formed, and with the Ballot and Political Association the League put a questionnaire to candidates, forcing them to state their views on the religious subsidies. This became a major election issue. Only five of the sixteen men elected to the Legislative Council favoured state aid to religion, and the new Parliamnent voted it out of existence in their first weeks of sitting.