diff --git a/admin/code/LeftAndMain.php b/admin/code/LeftAndMain.php
index 40ab6ef255f..13cfa82c368 100644
--- a/admin/code/LeftAndMain.php
+++ b/admin/code/LeftAndMain.php
@@ -1311,7 +1311,7 @@ function IsPreviewExpanded() {
 	 * @return String
 	 */
 	function Locale() {
-		return DBField::create('DBLocale', $this->i18nLocale());
+		return DBField::create('DBLocale', i18n::get_locale());
 	}
 	
 	/**
diff --git a/control/Controller.php b/control/Controller.php
index e53aaa7bd39..c25dfdbf4bb 100644
--- a/control/Controller.php
+++ b/control/Controller.php
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  * @package sapphire
  * @subpackage control
  */
-class Controller extends RequestHandler {
+class Controller extends RequestHandler implements TemplateGlobalProvider {
 
 	/**
 	 * @var array $urlParams An array of arguments extracted from the URL 
@@ -583,6 +583,12 @@ static function join_links() {
 		
 		return $result;
 	}
+
+	public static function getExposedVariables() {
+		return array(
+			'CurrentPage' => 'curr',
+		);
+	}
 }
 
 
diff --git a/control/Director.php b/control/Director.php
index 81f1fa29fe7..44115a365ad 100644
--- a/control/Director.php
+++ b/control/Director.php
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
  * @subpackage control
  * @see Director::direct(),Director::addRules(),Director::set_environment_type()
  */
-class Director {
+class Director implements TemplateGlobalProvider {
 	
 	static private $urlParams;
 
@@ -866,4 +866,21 @@ static function isTest() {
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @return array Returns an array of strings of the method names of methods on the call that should be exposed
+	 * as global variables in the templates.
+	 */
+	public static function getExposedVariables() {
+		return array(
+			'absoluteBaseURL',
+			'baseURL',
+			'is_ajax',
+			'isAjax' => 'is_ajax',
+			'BaseHref' => 'absoluteBaseURL',    //@deprecated 3.0
+		);
+	}
+
 }
+
+
+
diff --git a/core/Core.php b/core/Core.php
index 234d3bad874..3c2c85f1ba1 100644
--- a/core/Core.php
+++ b/core/Core.php
@@ -227,6 +227,7 @@ function array_fill_keys($keys,$value) {
 require_once 'cache/Cache.php';
 require_once 'core/Object.php';
 require_once 'core/ClassInfo.php';
+require_once 'view/TemplateGlobalProvider.php';
 require_once 'control/Director.php';
 require_once 'dev/Debug.php';
 require_once 'filesystem/FileFinder.php';
diff --git a/i18n/i18n.php b/i18n/i18n.php
index 0e0553c2d66..eecc8cf7c6f 100644
--- a/i18n/i18n.php
+++ b/i18n/i18n.php
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@
  * @package sapphire
  * @subpackage misc
  */
-class i18n extends Object {
+class i18n extends Object implements TemplateGlobalProvider {
 	
 	/**
 	 * This static variable is used to store the current defined locale.
@@ -1956,6 +1956,13 @@ static function merge_locale_data($locale, $extra) {
 			}
 		}
 	}
+
+	public static function getExposedVariables() {
+		return array(
+			'i18nLocale' => 'get_locale',
+			'get_locale',
+		);
+	}
 }
 
 
diff --git a/security/Member.php b/security/Member.php
index 51b0128be94..9b9eac47673 100644
--- a/security/Member.php
+++ b/security/Member.php
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
  * @package sapphire
  * @subpackage security
  */
-class Member extends DataObject {
+class Member extends DataObject implements TemplateGlobalProvider {
 
 	static $db = array(
 		'FirstName' => 'Varchar',
@@ -1378,6 +1378,13 @@ function getHtmlEditorConfigForCMS() {
 		// If can't find a suitable editor, just default to cms
 		return $currentName ? $currentName : 'cms';
 	}
+
+	public static function getExposedVariables() {
+		return array(
+			'CurrentMember' => 'currentUser',
+			'currentUser'
+		);
+	}
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/security/Permission.php b/security/Permission.php
index b856c6a85c1..ac6816152f8 100644
--- a/security/Permission.php
+++ b/security/Permission.php
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  * @package sapphire
  * @subpackage security
  */
-class Permission extends DataObject {
+class Permission extends DataObject implements TemplateGlobalProvider {
 
   // the (1) after Type specifies the DB default value which is needed for
 	// upgrades from older SilverStripe versions
@@ -621,6 +621,12 @@ public function onBeforeWrite() {
 		// Just in case we've altered someone's permissions
 		Permission::flush_permission_cache();
 	}
+
+	public static function getExposedVariables() {
+		return array(
+			'HasPerm' => 'check'
+		);
+	}
 }
 
 
diff --git a/security/SecurityToken.php b/security/SecurityToken.php
index c1a996ddbac..ec32ab72e0d 100644
--- a/security/SecurityToken.php
+++ b/security/SecurityToken.php
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
  * 
  * @todo Make token name form specific for additional forgery protection.
  */
-class SecurityToken extends Object {
+class SecurityToken extends Object implements TemplateGlobalProvider {
 	
 	/**
 	 * @var String
@@ -102,6 +102,15 @@ static function is_enabled() {
 	static function get_default_name() {
 		return self::$default_name;
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Returns the value of an the global SecurityToken in the current session
+	 * @return int
+	 */
+	static function getSecurityID() {
+		$token = SecurityToken::inst();
+		return $token->getValue();
+	}
 	
 	/**
 	 * @return String
@@ -208,7 +217,13 @@ protected function generate() {
 		$generator = new RandomGenerator();
 		return $generator->generateHash('sha1');
 	}
-	
+
+	public static function getExposedVariables() {
+		return array(
+			'getSecurityID',
+			'SecurityID' => 'getSecurityID'
+		);
+	}
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/tests/control/ControllerTest.php b/tests/control/ControllerTest.php
index 766e2c4adfb..57f9ccd3db5 100644
--- a/tests/control/ControllerTest.php
+++ b/tests/control/ControllerTest.php
@@ -129,11 +129,13 @@ public function testHasAction() {
 			'Without an allowed_actions, any defined methods are recognised as actions'
 		);
 	}
-	
+
+	/* Controller::BaseURL no longer exists, but was just a direct call to Director::BaseURL, so not sure what this code was supposed to test
 	public function testBaseURL() {
 		Director::setBaseURL('/baseurl/');
 		$this->assertEquals(Controller::BaseURL(), Director::BaseURL());
 	}
+	*/
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/tests/control/RequestHandlingTest.php b/tests/control/RequestHandlingTest.php
index 493a9a6c0ff..72b62fe8868 100644
--- a/tests/control/RequestHandlingTest.php
+++ b/tests/control/RequestHandlingTest.php
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ public function testHTTPError() {
 	}
 	
 	function testMethodsOnParentClassesOfRequestHandlerDeclined() {
-		$response = Director::test('testGoodBase1/getSecurityID');
+		$response = Director::test('testGoodBase1/getIterator');
 		$this->assertEquals(403, $response->getStatusCode());
 	}
 	
diff --git a/tests/view/SSViewerTest.php b/tests/view/SSViewerTest.php
index cc647dfab46..784f13c5e98 100644
--- a/tests/view/SSViewerTest.php
+++ b/tests/view/SSViewerTest.php
@@ -84,6 +84,45 @@ function testBasicInjection() {
 		$this->assertEquals('{$Test}', $this->render('{\\$Test}'), 'Escapes can be used to avoid injection');
 		$this->assertEquals('{\\[out:Test]}', $this->render('{\\\\$Test}'), 'Escapes before injections are correctly unescaped');
 	}
+
+	function testGlobalVariableCalls() {
+		$this->assertEquals(Director::absoluteBaseURL(), $this->render('{$absoluteBaseURL}'), 'Director::absoluteBaseURL can be called from within template');
+		$this->assertEquals(Director::absoluteBaseURL(), $this->render('{$AbsoluteBaseURL}'), 'Upper-case %AbsoluteBaseURL can be called from within template');
+
+		$this->assertEquals(Director::is_ajax(), $this->render('{$isAjax}'), 'All variations of is_ajax result in the correct call');
+		$this->assertEquals(Director::is_ajax(), $this->render('{$IsAjax}'), 'All variations of is_ajax result in the correct call');
+		$this->assertEquals(Director::is_ajax(), $this->render('{$is_ajax}'), 'All variations of is_ajax result in the correct call');
+		$this->assertEquals(Director::is_ajax(), $this->render('{$Is_ajax}'), 'All variations of is_ajax result in the correct call');
+
+		$this->assertEquals(i18n::get_locale(), $this->render('{$i18nLocale}'), 'i18n template functions result correct result');
+		$this->assertEquals(i18n::get_locale(), $this->render('{$get_locale}'), 'i18n template functions result correct result');
+
+		$this->assertEquals((string)Controller::curr(), $this->render('{$CurrentPage}'), 'i18n template functions result correct result');
+		$this->assertEquals((string)Controller::curr(), $this->render('{$currentPage}'), 'i18n template functions result correct result');
+
+		$this->assertEquals(Member::currentUser(), $this->render('{$CurrentMember}'), 'Member template functions result correct result');
+		$this->assertEquals(Member::currentUser(), $this->render('{$CurrentUser}'), 'Member template functions result correct result');
+		$this->assertEquals(Member::currentUser(), $this->render('{$currentMember}'), 'Member template functions result correct result');
+		$this->assertEquals(Member::currentUser(), $this->render('{$currentUser}'), 'Member template functions result correct result');
+
+		$this->assertEquals(SecurityToken::getSecurityID(), $this->render('{$getSecurityID}'), 'SecurityToken template functions result correct result');
+		$this->assertEquals(SecurityToken::getSecurityID(), $this->render('{$SecurityID}'), 'SecurityToken template functions result correct result');
+	}
+
+	function testGlobalVariableCallsWithArguments() {
+		$this->assertEquals(Permission::check("ADMIN"), $this->render('{$HasPerm(\'ADMIN\')}'), 'Permissions template functions result correct result');
+		$this->assertEquals(Permission::check("ADMIN"), $this->render('{$hasPerm(\'ADMIN\')}'), 'Permissions template functions result correct result');
+	}
+
+	/* //TODO: enable this test
+	  function testLocalFunctionsTakePriorityOverGlobals() {
+		$data = new ArrayData(array(
+			'Page' => new SSViewerTest_Page()
+		));
+
+		$result = $this->render('<% control Page %>$absoluteBaseURL<% end_control %>',$data);
+		$this->assertEquals("testPageCalled",$result, "Local Object's function called. Did not return the actual baseURL of the current site");
+	}*/
 	
 	function testObjectDotArguments() {
 		$this->assertEquals(
@@ -755,3 +794,10 @@ function methodWithTwoArguments($arg1, $arg2) {
 class SSViewerTest_Controller extends Controller {
 	
 }
+
+class SSViewerTest_Page extends SiteTree {
+
+	function absoluteBaseURL() {
+		return "testPageCalled";
+	}
+}
diff --git a/view/SSViewer.php b/view/SSViewer.php
index d24e8441616..881c1c31cfa 100644
--- a/view/SSViewer.php
+++ b/view/SSViewer.php
@@ -135,31 +135,58 @@ function __call($name, $arguments) {
  */
 class SSViewer_DataPresenter extends SSViewer_Scope {
 	
-	private $extras;
-	
-	function __construct($item, $extras = null){
+	private static $extras = array();
+
+	function __construct($item){
 		parent::__construct($item);
-		$this->extras = $extras;
+
+		if (count(self::$extras) == 0) {   //build up extras array only once per request
+			//get all the exposed variables from all classes that implement the TemplateGlobalProvider interface
+			$implementers = ClassInfo::implementorsOf("TemplateGlobalProvider");
+			foreach($implementers as $implementer) {
+				$exposedVariables = $implementer::getExposedVariables();    //get the exposed variables
+
+				foreach($exposedVariables as $varName => $methodName) {
+					if (!$varName || is_numeric($varName)) $varName = $methodName;  //array has just a single value, use it for both key and value
+
+					//e.g. "array(Director, absoluteBaseURL)" means call "Director::absoluteBaseURL()"
+					self::$extras[$varName] = array($implementer, $methodName);
+					$firstCharacter = substr($varName, 0, 1);
+
+					if ((strtoupper($firstCharacter) === $firstCharacter)) {    //is uppercase, so save the lowercase version, too
+						self::$extras[lcfirst($varName)] = array($implementer, $methodName);    //callable array
+					} else {    //is lowercase, save a version so it also works uppercase
+						self::$extras[ucfirst($varName)] = array($implementer, $methodName);
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		}
 	}
 	
 	function __call($name, $arguments) {
+		//TODO: make local functions take priority over global functions
+
 		$property = $arguments[0];
-		
-		if ($this->extras && array_key_exists($property, $this->extras)) {
-			
-			$this->resetLocalScope();
-			
-			$value = $this->extras[$arguments[0]];
-			
+		if (array_key_exists($property, self::$extras)) {
+			$this->resetLocalScope();   //if we are inside a chain (e.g. $A.B.C.Up.E) break out to the beginning of it
+
+			$value = self::$extras[$property];  //get the method call
+
+			//only call callable functions
+			if (is_callable($value)) {
+				$value = call_user_func_array($value, array_slice($arguments, 1));
+			}
+
 			switch ($name) {
 				case 'hasValue':
 					return (bool)$value;
-				default:
+				default:    //XML_val
 					return $value;
 			}
 		}
-		
-		return parent::__call($name, $arguments);
+
+		$callResult = parent::__call($name, $arguments);
+		return $callResult;
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/view/TemplateGlobalProvider.php b/view/TemplateGlobalProvider.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e2f44a6806f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/view/TemplateGlobalProvider.php
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Interface that is implemented by any classes that want to expose a method that can be called in a template.
+ * Director::AbsoluteBaseURL is an example of this.
+ * @package sapphire
+ * @subpackage core
+ */
+interface TemplateGlobalProvider {
+	/**
+	 * @abstract
+	 * @return array Returns an array of strings of the method names of methods on the call that should be exposed
+	 * as global variables in the templates. A map (template-variable-name => method-name) can optionally be supplied
+	 * if the template variable name is different from the name of the method to call. The case of the first character
+	 * in the method name called from the template does not matter, although names specified in the map should
+	 * correspond to the actual method name in the relevant class.
+	 * Note that the template renderer must be able to call these methods statically.
+	 */
+	public static function getExposedVariables();
+}
+
+?>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/view/ViewableData.php b/view/ViewableData.php
index 8506dd03f2f..a81d2cdac86 100644
--- a/view/ViewableData.php
+++ b/view/ViewableData.php
@@ -689,75 +689,7 @@ public function CSSClasses($stopAtClass = 'ViewableData') {
 		
 		return Convert::raw2att(implode(' ', $classes));
 	}
-	
-	/**
-	 * @see Member::currentUser()
-	 */
-	public function CurrentMember() {
-		return Member::currentUser();
-	}
-	
-	/**
-	 * Return a CSRF-preventing ID to insert into a form.
-	 *
-	 * @return string
-	 */
-	public function getSecurityID() {
-		$token = SecurityToken::inst();
-		return $token->getValue();
-	}
-	
-	/**
-	 * @see Permission::check()
-	 */
-	public function HasPerm($code) {
-		return Permission::check($code);
-	}
-	
-	/**
-	 * @see Director::absoluteBaseURL()
-	 *
-	 * @deprecated 3.0
-	 */
-	public function BaseHref() {
-		Deprecation::notice('3.0', 'Use AbsoluteBaseURL instead.');
-		
-		return $this->AbsoluteBaseURL();
-	}
-	
-	/**
-	 * Returns the absolute base url
-	 *
-	 * @return string
-	 */
-	public function AbsoluteBaseURL() {
-		return Director::absoluteBaseURL();
-	}
-	
-	/**
-	 * Access the BaseURL from template: proxy the value from the Director.
-	 * Needed for building hardcoded links.
-	 *
-	 * @return string base url
-	 */
-	function BaseURL() {
-		return Director::baseURL();
-	}
-	
-	/**
-	 * @see Director::is_ajax()
-	 */
-	public function IsAjax() {
-		return Director::is_ajax();
-	}
-	
-	/**
-	 * @see i18n::get_locale()
-	 */
-	public function i18nLocale() {
-		return i18n::get_locale();
-	}
-	
+
 	/**
 	 * Return debug information about this object that can be rendered into a template
 	 *
@@ -767,19 +699,6 @@ public function Debug() {
 		return new ViewableData_Debugger($this);
 	}
 	
-	/**
-	 * @see Controller::curr()
-	 */
-	public function CurrentPage() {
-		return Controller::curr();
-	}
-	
-	/**
-	 * @see SSViewer::topLevel()
-	 */
-	public function Top() {
-		return SSViewer::topLevel();
-	}
 }
 
 /**