MEDIA RELEASE
For release: August 10, 2010
The Greens’ claims that their values are Christian have promoted the Australian Christian Lobby to release a list of publicly available Greens policies which the party sought to hide from the Christian constituency.
The Australian Greens refused to respond to 18 out of 24 questions put to all parties on issues of concern to most Christians.
ACL Managing Director Jim Wallace said the ACL’s intent was to publish parties’ responses unfiltered in their own words on its election resource website australiavotes.org.au.
Mr Wallace said the Greens were trying avoid scrutiny on selected issues while all the other parties had responded to all questions – even when their positions may not have appealed to Christians.
“This shows great integrity on the part of the other parties but a lack of integrity on the part of the Greens who are vying for the balance of power in the Senate.
“It is good for Christians to know that the Greens have some compassionate policies on refugees and foreign aid, but they also need to know that, for example, the Greens are in favour of gay marriage and establishing an ‘intersex’ gender; want to scrap the school chaplaincy program in its current form; support abortion on demand; and are opposed to important religious freedoms.
“The central purpose of our www.australiavotes.org.au website is to assist Christians to make an informed vote – but how can they do this when the party hides policy positions which are of interest to most Christian voters?
“The Greens had a chance to prove their claim that their values aligned with Christian values by answering the questionnaire in full but this would have meant contradicting existing policies which do not have the support of most Christians.
“Sadly they chose to try and deceive the Christian constituency by leaving these questions blank,” Mr Wallace said.
Below is a list of some of the 18 ACL questions which the Greens declined to answer, with Greens positions taken from the public record.
Freedom of religion
Australia has a proud record for protecting freedom, but increasingly faith-based organisations and individuals are unduly prevented from giving expression to their religion, or being pressured to act against their conscientiously-held beliefs, particularly in the areas of employment, service delivery, and education. Would your Party ensure that, like political parties, churches and religious bodies have their right to employ staff who share their ethos protected?
Greens’ public position:
Greens education policy http://greens.org.au/policies/care-for-people/education
41. introduce the same accountability and transparency frameworks for government funding to non-government schools as applies to public schools and extend the anti-discrimination measures that apply in public schools to private schools.
63. ensure that non-government schools in receipt of government funding:
• do not discriminate in hiring of staff or selection of students;
Prayer in parliament
The preamble to Australia’s Constitution states that our nation is “humbly relying on the blessing of Almighty God”. Does your Party commit to maintaining the convention of opening Parliament each day exclusively with the Lord’s Prayer?
Greens’ public position:
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/parties-unite-on-lords-prayer/1343885.aspx?order=1&page=1
Australian Greens leader Bob Brown said a period of reflection would be better than the old-fashioned rote recitation of the prayer. He wants a conscience vote in both houses on the issue.
”… I think it would be better if we had a period of reflection in which people could think about such things as ‘will what we are doing today be welcomed by our grandchildren?’ The matter should be debated and there should be a free vote on it,” he said.
Euthanasia
Euthanasia is the intentional killing of a ‘suffering’ patient. Legalised euthanasia alters the social contract with the vulnerable and ‘unwanted’ in society, who will perceive the so-called ‘right to die’ more as a ‘duty to die’, and corrupts the doctor-patient relationship in profound ways. While the vote may be a conscience one, will your Party reject any moves to legalise euthanasia?
Greens’ public position:
http://bob-brown.greensmps.org.au/content/media-release/brown-introduces-bill-restore-act-and-nt-right-legislate-death-with-dignity
“The Greens bill will restore the rights of Territory parliaments to assist terminally ill people choose a death with dignity. I hope both Malcolm Turnbull and Kevin Rudd will commit to a conscience vote when Parliament sits in October,” Senator Brown said.
Greens introduce territories Euthanasia bill
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/17/2366617.htm
Senator Brown says that would restore the territories’ democracy.
“It’s constitutionally sound, it’s democratically right, and it may have very very profound positive social outcomes,” he said.
Abortion
The 2007 annual report of the Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity (Victoria) showed that 52 out of 181 late term babies who were aborted for “abnormalities” survived late term abortions but died neo-natally. Would your Party support a conscience vote on Medicare funding for abortions carried out on babies old enough to be viable outside the womb?
Greens’ public position:
Greens women policy
http://greens.org.au/policies/care-for-people/women
20. ensure that all women have access to legal, free and safe pregnancy termination services including unbiased counselling.
Chaplaincy
The 2009 research paper, “The Effectiveness of Chaplaincy”, showed that the Federal Government’s National School Chaplaincy Program was supported by more than 97% of the 688 participating school principals, who said that chaplains had been highly effective in providing pastoral care services for students and school communities. Does your Party commit to funding faith-based chaplaincy in schools beyond 2011, and at what level?
Greens’ public position:
Greens push for counsellors, not chaplains
http://www.theage.com.au/national/greens-push-for-counsellors-not-chaplains-20100326-r37m.html
THE Greens want to scrap the national school chaplaincy program and replace it with a scheme to help schools employ counsellors and community liaison officers.
Marriage
Marriage is clearly defined in the Marriage Act as the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life. Would your Party commit to support this definition for the life of the Government and beyond?
Greens’ public position:
Sexuality and gender identity policy
http://greens.org.au/policies/care-for-people/sexuality-and-gender-identity
15. legislate to allow marriage regardless of sexuality or gender identity.
The Fight For Equal Marriage Will Continue
http://sarah-hanson-young.greensmps.org.au/content/media-release/fight-equal-marriage-will-continue
“Today’s vote does not end the debate – I will bring this bill back in the first session of the new sitting of Parliament, and the Greens will continue to fight for this inevitable removal of outdated discrimination until the law is changed.”
Surrogacy and ART
The Standing Committee of Attorneys-General (SCAG) intends to achieve uniform national surrogacy law. Some States allow surrogacy for single people and same-gender couples to obtain a child, who then has no possibility of having both a mother and a father. In constructing nationally consistent surrogacy laws, will your Party oppose any provision for single and same-gender surrogacy?
Greens’ public position:
Sexuality and gender identity policy
http://greens.org.au/policies/care-for-people/sexuality-and-gender-identity
9. access, regardless of sexuality and gender identity, to adoption, fostering, artificial insemination and in vitro fertilisation procedures.
Classification
There are a number of Codes of Practice across a range of media platforms, with some types of media self-regulated, others falling under the scope of the ACMA or the Classification Board. This multiplicity of media regulation is ill-equipped to keep pace with rapid technological changes, lacks effective enforcement mechanisms, and leaves children vulnerable to harm from inappropriate media products. Will your Party commit to a comprehensive review of Australia’s media regulatory environment, with a view to establish an effective classification system across all media, including advertising and games?
Greens’ public position:
Greens media & communications policy
http://greens.org.au/policies/media-arts-science/media-and-communications
42. introduce a nationally consistent approach to the regulated sale of X-rated material.
Internet safety
Recent Government trials have shown that blocking Refused Classification (RC) material at the ISP level is technically feasible. Will your Party commit to the filtering of RC material at the ISP level to provide a safer internet environment for children? Some ISPs already provide commercial filtering products for parents to protect children from legal but otherwise harmful internet content. What would your Party do to encourage wider availability of such services?
Greens’ public position:
Internet Filtering – Scott Ludlam speech
http://greensmps.org.au/content/speech/internet-filtering
“The government’s proposed mandatory internet censorship scheme has been almost universally condemned. It is an inappropriate and off-target attempt to engage with a series of problems that deserve a much more serious and nuanced response. The Greens support the rights of Australian children to a safe online experience and we support the effective resourcing of law enforcement agencies to intercept and prosecute traffickers of online child pornography and other illegal material on the internet. We do not, however, support the mandatory filtering of the internet in Australia.”
ends
Media Contact: Glynis Quinlan on 0408 875 979.
Jim and all the team at ACL,
Great example of the greens policies.
I have reposted and hope many others do as well.
Every blessing as always,
Jack
I agree with Jack.
Well done and also reposted on Facebook.
Interesting article from the ACL, it is good to see a well thought our effective policy on internet filtering finally suggested by someone. I reckon the greens have got the focus on education of our young people as the means of providing safety in our cyber world.
I’m not impressed with the policy of preventing specific faith-focussed schools from selecting students and staff according to their faith backgrounds. I’m assuming the Greens would have no problem with this if the private school in question was completely self funded.
I always keep asking myself the question. What would Jesus’ response be to these issues, what is the Christ-like response to these issues. Which party ministers most effectively to the poor and marginalised?
I still don’t have the answers, but thanks for keeping the information coming.
Mark
May God continue to protect your team as you bring things like this to the ‘light’. It is vital that our children know about their rich Christian heritage.
I suspect that the Greens is a ripe mission field for those with policy skills. Is God calling you to be a person of influence there? The Greens first senator, I understand, was a Christian. A Quaker.
While there are many of good will and ability in the Greens, I suspect that there are Christian members who have not known how to integrate their faith in practice and then be able to translate that into policy.
The Greens is not the first political party to experience this dilemna.
My prayers for revival for our wonderful country continue.
Thanks again for your passion displayed in action.
Well done to Jim Wallace and the ACL for remembering to mention that there are some policies that the Greens have that are likely to be of comfort to Christians – identifying their policies on humanitarian treatment of asylum seekers and foreign aid.
Would that these clear answers have also had the focus in the select number of questions & policy positions that the ACL later noted. From australiavotes.org.au, these are:
Asylum Seekers:
“The Greens are committed to a long-term, practical and humane approach to immigration that rejects the failed policies of mandatory detention, detention of children, indefinite detention and off-shore processing. Our position is based on the UN Convention on the Status of Refugees, to which Australia is a signatory, which states that seeking asylum is not illegal. The Greens will: prioritise the timely processing of asylum claims, increase Australia’s humanitarian intake and introduce a new visa subclass for people displaced by climate change.”
Foreign Aid:
“The Greens support increasing Australia’s overseas aid budget to the level agreed for developed nations – 0.7 percent of Gross National Income by 2015. We also propose that the next government should establish a new Ministry for Overseas Aid and International Development. The Hawke Government had a Minister for Trade and Overseas Development, but it was only in place for one term.”
K.
Hi to all the ACL team. Great that you are highlighting the Greens policies and for anyone informed about Australian politics, their policies should not come as a surprise.
My other concern though as this election campaign goes on; is that we don’t get deceived into thinking the Labor party are very different. After all, it matters not what they say before the election; they have still got into bed with the Greens which surely must mean they are not bothered by their policies at all. Just win at any cost. I cannot believe that so many people are being conned and are so easily taken in by all the “promises” many of which won’t come into effect till probably the election after this!
I am on my knees praying that again we as a nation will turn back to God and see righteousness prevail.
Blessings to all the team. You are doing a great job despite some of the negative comments you are getting from certain pollies.
Patricia
You mention here that the Greens support abortion.
Since we’re analysing party policies, it’s important to also note that the official Labor Platform supports abortion on demand.
Yes, they give a conscience vote, but so do the Greens!
In addition, Julia Gillard is a founding member of EMILY’s LIST, where one has to be ‘pro-abortion’ to be a member.
Julia Gillard voted for making the abortion drug RU486 available – in fact 82% of Labor MPs voted for it – compared with 43% of Liberals and just 19% of the Nationals.
On a related pro-life issue, in the 2006 legislation allowing the creation and destruction of embryos for embryonic stem cell research, 69% of Labor voted for it, compared with 6% of Nationals and 41% of Liberals.
Family First’s Steve Fielding voted against both of these bills.
In a retrograde step during the last parliament the Labor government changed the regulations concerning overseas aid to allow our overseas aid dollars to be spent on abortion.
If we’re criticising the Greens’ bad policy on abortion we also need to criticise Labor’s policy and poor record on abortion.
Thankyou ACL again for giving us such comprehensive information that the media “sugar coats” or edits at whim. I personally feel that this is the most intense election that Australia has ever faced as we are witnessing such amazing degredation of morals and humanity that continues to astound me,and that Australians are just thinking “no worries she’ll be right” when we know this is the volcano ready to erupt if we get this wrong. I feel that we must take the only stand,and that is righteousness versus unrighteousness, and there is no contest who we should be placing our votes with. Also backed up by alot of prayer, finally the sleeping church must awake, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
(2 Chronicles 7:13-15) Church it’s time to STAND UP!!
Thanks for highlighting that the unanswered Green’s policies show that their conservation policies are just a blind to cover their real ambitions to change the basic character of our society.