ACL compiles a daily media monitoring service of stories of interest to the Christian constituency relating to children, family, drugs and alcohol, marriage, human rights, religious freedom etc. Visit the ACL’s website each day to see what’s of interest in the news. Please note that selection of the articles does not represent ACL endorsement of the content.
Hobsons Bay could get the state’s first intersex mayor
A LOCAL councillor could become Victoria’s first mayor who identifies as being both male and female. Hobsons Bay Deputy Mayor Tony Briffa, who has publicly spoken on TV about his genetic intersex condition, says on his website he is “not male or female, but both”.
Children & Family
65 kids known to Queensland government die
Sixty-five Queensland children known to the Department of Communities died in the year to June, a new report shows.
Civil Unions
LNP may repeal same-sex civil union laws
Queensland’s Liberal National Party may repeal laws that allow same-sex civil unions in the state if it wins government next year.
LNP civil unions stance ‘in Bligh’s hands’ A Liberal National Party decision on scrapping the same-sex civil union law hinges on whether at least one couple has entered into such an arrangement by the time of a change of government.
Education
Ethics classes in schools are not safe yet. In a backroom deal between the O’Farrell government and the Christian Democrats, the fate of the classes may lie with a Legislative Council committee weighted with right-wing Christians.
Homelessness
Families feel the housing squeeze
Single mother Kristin Bewley and her children and Bailey, 2, and Trinity, three months. UP to one in three households suffers mortgage stress in struggling pockets of the state. Families on the outskirts of Melbourne are among those doing it the toughest.
Human Rights
An Australian man faces draconian religious blasphemy charges in a Saudi Arabian court today without legal representation. Officials have refused to let Australian diplomats visit him in prison, where he has been held for almost three weeks.
Marriage
Labor backs gay marriage
Phillip Coorey – SMH
The Labor Party has voted resoundingly to change its policy to one of supporting gay marriage. But federal MPs will not be forced to support gay marriage when the issue comes before Parliament next year because the party also voted to endorse a conscience vote for its politicians. The votes were held this morning after passionate debate for and against the changes at the ALP national conference in Sydney
http://www.smh.com.au/national/labor-backs-gay-marriage-20111203-1oc4d.html#ixzz1fQgFpKVy
Julia Gillard loses on same-sex marriage despite win on surplus
THE Labor Party’s national conference will today reject Julia Gillard’s position on marriage equality by amending its platform to support same-sex marriage.
Win for Rainbow Labor but one it will have to wait for
The lesson from the conference is that people do mobilise behind issues they care about and they do get involved when they can have a say. And for the party and its established power structures, that can take a bit of getting used to.
Gay marriage is sweet with Labor
THE campaign to legalise gay marriage is set to be put to a vote in Federal Parliament next year. Labor will clear the way for the move at its national conference being held in Sydney. Jubilant Left-wing Labor MPs who have fought for the change said they had secured 250 out of 400 votes, with a significant number of votes from the party’s Right. The motion, put by ACT Treasurer Andrew Barr and federal Finance Minister Penny Wong, says Labor will “amend the Marriage Act to ensure equal access to marriage under statute for all adult couples irrespective of sex who have a mutual commitment to a shared life”.
Opinion piece from Jim Wallace in The Australian
ACT Education Minister Andrew Barr was pictured last week opening an “anti-homophobia” art display at a Canberra school. So far so good. Everyone is against homophobia, but there is a fine line between that and promoting the lifestyle, especially for parents of school-aged children.
Gay Marriage Petition
Gay marriage petition presented to ALP conference A petition with 140,285 signatures calling for marriage equality has been presented to senior Australian Labor Party delegates at their national conference.
Politics
Labor heartland slips away
Queensland Labor has suffered a massive swing in sentiment against it in the traditional ALP heartland of Ipswich, according to a new opinion poll.
Quiet in the cheap seats
The PM might want some healthy ‘noise’ at the Labor national conference, but no amount will make the party look robust.
Polls tip Liberal National Party landslide win in Queensland
Polling suggests maverick MP Bob Katter’s party will struggle in Thuringowa and in Beadesert, where former LNP member Aidan McLindon, right, is standing. CAMPBELL Newman appears to be single-handedly destroying the electoral prospects of both Anna Bligh and Bob Katter in his bid to become Queensland premier.
New internal polling from the LNP shows it is on track to easily defeat Labor and the Australian Party and dominate the Parliament.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/polls-tip-lnp-to-win-in-a-landslide/story-e6freon6-1226212752324
Forgotten man – Julia Gillard praises every Labor leader since 1940, except Kevin Rudd
KEVIN Rudd has been airbrushed from Labor history, with Julia Gillard refusing to acknowledge him in a speech to the ALP national conference in Sydney yesterday. While Mr Rudd sat smiling in the front row of the Darling Harbour Convention Centre auditorium, Ms Gillard named and paid tribute to former Labor prime ministers since 1940 John Curtin, Ben Chifley, Gough Whitlam, Bob Hawke and Paul Keating. The only names missing from the roll-call were Mr Rudd’s and Frank Forde, who only served eight days in 1941.
Religious Freedom & Persecution
MUSLIMS are being urged to report hate crimes under a special disaster plan to deal with the fallout from terrorist attacks.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/new-clamp-on-muslim-haters/story-fn7x8me2-1226212747924
Refugees
The sinking of an Indonesian fishing boat off Christmas Island riveted the country. Almost a year later David Marr examines the wreckage.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/sifting-through-the-wreckage-20111202-1obnx.html#ixzz1fQGQdDZW
Incentive for risky boat trips remains even if we take more refugees
Bowen’s new proposal is unlikely to sway critics of the Malaysia people-swap deal. The impasse on offshore processing of asylum seekers provides a rare window to fix some of the problems that have evolved over the past decade.
Sexualisation of Society
Female lawyer Bridgette Styles takes on boys’ club
Bridgette Styles says she has had many messages backing her actions. THE young Melbourne lawyer who took on a top-tier law firm in a sexual harassment case said she had drawn strength for the legal battle from her family, especially her late grandmother. Bridgette Styles, 28, originally sued Clayton Utz for $200,000, alleging it had a sexist culture, but settled the case last week for an undisclosed sum.
Social Media
Triple J presenters label Julia Gillard a ‘whore’, Tim Mathieson ‘gay’
ONE broadcaster called Julia Gillard a “whore” and another accused partner Tim Mathieson of being gay in blistering Twitter attacks as the Prime Minister prepared to open the ALP national conference.
