Australian Christian Lobby

ACT Govt feeding demand for trafficked women

Katherine Spackman, PR Officer — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 05:59:56 +0000

MEDIA RELEASE

Thursday, February 23rd, 2012

The Australian Christian Lobby has expressed amazement that the ACT Legislative Assembly Inquiry into the Prostitution Act 1992 has recommended more prostitution despite the inquiry being triggered by the tragic death of a minor in a legal brothel.

“This inquiry should have recommended a wholesale overhaul of Government policy towards prostitution. Instead it has whitewashed the current failed system and inexplicably recommended less controls in allowing prostitution to expand from Fyshwick into Canberra’s residential suburbs,” ACL’s Managing Director Jim Wallace said.

“Despite being presented with evidence of the success of the Swedish policy approach to prostitution which has now also been adopted in Norway, Iceland and Korea – and is under consideration in France and Israel – the majority report gave no plausible reason for not considering it,” he said.

Mr Wallace said the ‘Swedish model’ puts prostituted women out of the reach of the police and instead punishes men who buy women for sex.

“Everywhere in the world where the buying of women for sex has been legitimised there has been an explosion of growth in prostitution and the abuse of women in particular that accompanies this, something the Swedes recognised in the late 1990s when they changed their policy.

“The legal sex trade in Western countries is feeding demand for women who can’t be supplied locally and this is causing a global boom in sex trafficking,” Mr Wallace said.

“It is naive to think women are not trafficked from time to time into the ACT.

Mr Wallace praised Liberal MLA Vicki Dunne for her dissenting report but said it was inexplicable that the committee could recommend the expansion of an ‘industry’ that no amount of regulation can make safe.

“It is wrong for the ACT Assembly to normalise what is an inherently dangerous occupation and to put it on the same level as selling fries at McDonalds.”

Mr Wallace said ACL was hosting the screening of the documentary Nefarious: Merchant of Souls which investigates the global sex trade and its links to legal brothels in the West.

ACT Legislative Assembly members have been invited to a private screening but the public can view it this Monday night at Parkway Church Kambah from 7pm.

Kingaroy Meet Your Candidate Forum report back

Katherine Spackman, PR Officer — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 01:54:55 +0000

On Monday, February 20th, the ACL’s Queensland Director held a Meet Your Candidate Forum in Kingaroy. The South Burnett Business News went along to the forum and wrote the following story below on its website.

Kingaroy Has A Very Polite Night With The Candidates

Photo courtesy of South Burnett Business News ABOVE: Australian Christian Lobby Queensland State Director Wendy Francis, John Dalton (Independent), Deb Frecklington (LNP), Carl Rackemann (KAP) and David Thomson (Independent / Queensland Party)

February 21, 2012 – On polling night, election pundits are expected to keep a close eye on the State seat of Nanango to see how Katter’s Australian Party will perform.

The interest, though, doesn’t seem to be shared by local residents.

At a forum staged in Kingaroy last night – organised by the Australian Christian Lobby – just 38 people showed up, and it was clear from the T-shirts that at least a few came along with the candidates.

Four would-be MPs were there: Deb Frecklington (LNP), John Dalton (Independent), Carl Rackemann (Katter’s Australian Party) and David Thomson (Independent / Queensland Party).

Retiring Nanango MP Dorothy Pratt was also there, greeting all the candidates very warmly (including Rackemann, whom she greeted with a quick kiss despite her alleged blow-up with Bob Katter late last year).

Apologies were received from The Greens candidate Grant Newson (who was at the Jondaryan protest, see below) and the ALP’s Virginia Clarke, who was ill and had suffered a recent family tragedy.

The forum was moderated by the ACL’s Queensland Director Wendy Francis. All candidates were given five minutes to introduce themselves and discuss their background and philosophies. Wendy then asked for questions, which were submitted in writing from the floor.

Predictably for a conservative rural seat, all candidates supported religious instruction in schools and the school chaplaincy program. All were opposed to gay marriage and were pro-life.

All believed in a balance between farming and mining and all thought suicide was a serious problem in rural areas. Equally, none are going to recommend preferences.

The only differences emerged when the candidates were asked “If the Parliament was equally split, which side would you support?” (this was put to the minor parties / Independents only).

Rackemann refused to rule out that KAP could support the ALP. He said the party would return to each electorate to gauge voters’ views and then act accordingly to guarantee stable government. Thomson said his position was essentially the same.

Dalton said he would consider what was best for the electorate and would approach each party with “a bucket list” of demands which would have to be met before he would enter into negotiations.

That was about as controversial as it got.

After a few obvious “Dorothy Dixers” from the audience, the Forum wound up as sociably as it began, with a cup of tea.

KAP candidate Carl Rackemann said today it was “bull” that a vote for him was a vote for the LNP or ALP.

“Let me be clear, a vote for Carl Rackemann is a vote for Katter’s Australian Party, not the LNP or the Labor Party,” he said.

“Bob Katter will be here in the Nanango electorate on March 15. If people are concerned that a vote for Katter’s Australian Party is a vote for the Labor Party or the LNP, come ask him yourself.”

In the media – a wrap up of the last week’s commentary

Katherine Spackman, PR Officer — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 01:39:52 +0000

In the last week the ACL has provided commentary on the political leadership issue, same-sex marriage, and the Queensland election. Some of those media opportunities have been posted online.

Queensland election:

Christian Today ACL disappointed by Kate Jones’ no show at candidates’ forum
South Burnett Business News Kingaroy Has A Very Polite Night With The Candidates

NSW government issues:

Christians Today Christian lobby welcomes biological details inclusion on birth certificates

Euthanasia:

The Mercury Nitschke visit stirs debate

Pick of the news – Thursday, February 23, 2012

Admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:55:00 +0000

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.

Abortion
Pro-lifers arrested for praying
Dave Tombers – WND

Six people peacefully protested the Obama administration’s mandate requiring employers to provide contraceptives, sterilization, and abortion-producing drugs by kneeling in prayer in front of the White House, and they quickly were arrested and whisked away by U.S. Park police. “Occupy Wall Street protesters have been occupying federal property for months, but when we kneel in prayer, the police are called in and we are arrested,” said Father Wilde, one of the protesters.

Children & Family
Plunge from Brisbane’s Story Bridge came after ‘relationship broke down’
Kate Kyriacou, Alison Sandy – The Courier-Mail

A man who jumped from Brisbane’s Story Bridge with his two-year-old son in his arms was suffering from a relationship breakdown. As tributes poured in for respected teacher Jason Lees and his son Brad, The Courier-Mail has learned Mr Lees was struggling after problems between him and wife Danielle.

Family Court settlements in doubt after admin error
The Australian

Attorney General Nicola Roxon is frustrated a “small administrative error” could put in doubt three years’ worth of Family Court property settlements and other orders handed down to de facto couples. Since 2009 the Family Court has had the power to settle the property disputes of de facto couples, after state courts relinquished their powers to the federal government.

Classification
R18+ game classification: The quest continues
Sam Hinton – Delimiter

Late last week Federal Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare introduced a bill to parliament (PDF) that takes Australia one step closer to an R18+ classification for videogames. No sooner had the classification bill been introduced than the Coalition responded by calling for an inquiry into the bill. These are just the latest developments in a saga that’s been running for the best part of a decade. But if everything goes to plan, we could see R18+ games on Australian shelves by January 2013.

No sex, but crushed heads are OK. Leaked Facebook document reveals website’s secretive and bizarre ‘graphic content’ policy
Daily Mail

A former employee who used to filter out offensive content on Facebook has leaked the website’s secret rulebook, which gives astonishingly detailed instructions that include blocking mild nudity but allowing images of death and disfigurement, as well as racially charged comments. An aggrieved Moroccan worker who was paid a mere $1 an hour by oDesk – a third-party content-moderation firm used by Facebook – revealed it tells staff to delete all forms of sexual activity, even simulated activity where there was nothing explicit on show. Yet deep wounds, excessive blood and ‘crushed heads, limbs etc’ are allowed – ‘as long as no insides are showing’.

Education
Fixing education a matter of urgency, Gillard warned
Bianca Hall – SMH

Pressure is growing on the federal government to commit to the biggest reforms to hit the education sector in generations. The government released on Monday the Gonski review into schools’ funding – the most wide-ranging review into schools funding in 39 years.

Gambling
Gamblers’ brains have unique chemistry
SMH

Financial market traders and keen gamblers take note. Scientists have found that a chemical in the region of the brain involved in sensory and reward systems is crucial to whether people simply brush off the pain of financial losses. Scientists say the study points the way to the possible development of drugs to treat problem gamblers and sheds light on what may have been going on in the brains of Wall Street and City of London traders as the 2008 financial crisis took hold.

Human Rights
Church of Scientology demands right to underpay
Joe Hildebrand – The Daily Telegraph

Scientologists have asked the federal government for an exemption to the Fair Work Act so they do not have to pay workers the minimum wage. In a submission to the Fair Work review, public affairs director Reverend Mary Anderson said the Church of Scientology, which believes Earth was founded 75 million years ago by an alien tyrant called Xenu, should be exempt from workplace law because it was a legitimate religion.

Marriage
Can you choose your sexuality?
Rachel Hills – The Canberra Times

Is sexual orientation written in our genes? Or is it something that can change over time, whether by whim,circumstance or sheer force of will?

Kreayshawn on sexuality: ‘I’m not that gay’
Alicia Adejobi – Taletela

Kreayshawn has addressed her sexuality yet again, this time claiming that she’s “not that gay.” The ‘Gucci Gucci’ rapper has been open about being bisexual since she burst onto the scene last year, and she explains how she chooses a partner.

Overseas Aid
PNG, Australia sign zero-tolerance agreement on aid funding
Australia Network News

Papua New Guinea and Australia have signed an agreement of zero tolerance to fraud in the multi-million dollar AusAID program. Australia’s international aid agency, AusAID provides more than $AU480 million in aid each year to improve PNG’s worst health and education outcomes.

Politics
Julia Gillard v Kevin Rudd, part II
Dennis Shanahan and Sid Maher – The Australian

The Gillard government faces days of uncertainty until Kevin Rudd declares whether he will challenge Julia Gillard for the Labor leadership, go to the parliamentary backbench or even resign from his Brisbane seat and force a by-election. As government sources last night revealed the Prime Minister would today call a special caucus meeting for a leadership ballot on Monday, NSW independent Tony Windsor warned it was “more than likely” a change of leader would trigger a return to the polls.

It’s show time now shadow boxing is over
Michelle Grattan – The Age

Kevin Rudd is appealing to his desperate and dysfunctional party as its best vote-getter, but he is confronting a seething hatred from his many critics determined to block his resurrection. He goes into the ballot with a minority of votes. But now the shadow boxing is over, he can lobby openly, in what will be a bitter contest very different from the surgical overnight coup of 2010.

Religious Freedom & Persecution
New fears for Iranian pastor on death row who refuses to renounce his Christian faith
Patrick Goodenough – CNS News

The American Center for Law and Justice said Tuesday it had received information that Iran may have issued an execution order for Youcef Nadarkhani. “As of today, we cannot confirm that Pastor Youcef is alive,” said executive director Jordan Sekulow. “With Iran now dominating international headlines because of its military actions, it’s clear Iran may have decided to move forward by issuing an execution order, knowing that the world’s attention is focused elsewhere right now. We also know that Iran’s top officials can reject the execution order and release Pastor Youcef if they so desire. We will keep the international pressure on Iran to free Pastor Youcef.”

Sexualisation of Society
Virgin’s sexism in the sky
Catherine Marshall – Eureka Street

It’s 6am and I’m sipping a flat white in Virgin Australia’s Sydney Airport lounge. I’m here with a colleague who has lounge access and favours this carrier over the opposition, Qantas. Our debate over which of these two local airlines deserves our patronage continues as we take off for Melbourne.

Sex education expert calls for pornography education in schools
Mandy Squires – Geelong Advertiser

A university sex education expert has called for students to receive porn education at school, following research showing most kids have viewed explicit content online by the age of 11. Deakin University sex education expert Debbie Ollis said unfortunately exposure to pornography was part of “the reality of social life” for most children in 2012.

Other
Christian origins too often neglected in Australia, Archbishop says
Mark Brolly – Anglican Media Melbourne

Archbishop Philip Freier says there is a disconnection in Australia between many features of society, such as the welfare system, and their Christian origins. Dr Freier said the welfare state in England had come out of a strong Christian context but while Australia had adopted some of the policies, it had done so without the context. He also said primacy of conscience was part of the DNA of the United States but that a similar strong unifying narrative in Australia “might be harder to get in an increasingly secular society which, from my perspective, is trying to privatise faith here”.

Romney woes leave Republican race close
SBS

Mitt Romney’s future hangs in the balance. Soon he could either be restored as the frontrunner in the Republican presidential race or be left staring into a political abyss. Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum, a Christian conservative who fiercely opposes gay marriage and abortion, has surged from a distant third into pole position following his trio of vote wins earlier this month.

ACL disappointed by Kate Jones’ no show at candidates’ forum

Katherine Spackman, PR Officer — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:33:29 +0000

MEDIA RELEASE

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012

The Australian Christian Lobby has expressed concern that Labor’s Kate Jones is unavailable to attend a forum for Ashgrove candidates this Sunday.

ACL Queensland Director Wendy Francis said it was disappointing that Ms Jones declined the offer after several date options were presented to her.

LNP Leader and candidate for Ashgrove Campbell Newman will join other candidates at the forum.

Ms Francis said ACL was running more than 20 Meet Your Candidate forums, mostly in marginal electorates.

“The Christian constituency is very concerned for the good governance of Queensland and wants to see a more compassionate, just and moral society,” she said.

“Meet Your Candidate Forums are an opportunity for candidates to make their pitch for the Christian vote and to respond to written questions from the audience.

“It is disappointing that Ms Jones could not make time for this important part of her constituency.

ACL was also disappointed that Premier Anna Bligh and her deputy Andrew Fraser declined an invitation to participate in a leaders Make it Count webcast which went ahead earlier this month with Mr Newman.

“I am concerned about the message Queensland Labor is sending to the Christian constituency,” she said.

“Labor’s Margaret Keech and Michael Choi, by exercising their consciences in crucial votes on the rights of children, have proven that the party can appeal to Christian voters.”

Viewpoint Issue 8 Out Now!

ACL Team — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:36:14 +0000

The first issue of Viewpoint Magazine for 2012 is out now. This edition takes an in depth look at the state of the economy both here within Australia and internationally. It goes behind the headlines to come to grips with what has brought much of the Western world to the brink of economic collapse; and more importantly what society can do about it.

Professor Steve Keen from the University of Western Sydney provides a fascinating insight into the causal factors of the USA’s and Europe’s economic woes while Associate Professor Gordon Menzies from the University of Technology Sydney examines why Australia has mainly escaped and what can be done to enhance the nation’s chances it stays that way.

In Australia’s quest for baseload power with lower emissions, Coal Seam Gas is one of the most prominent, and contentious, solutions on offer. The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) and Dr Marion Carey from Monash University present very different perspectives on this energy source. With protests across the country, and the impact that CSG is having on state politics, the implications are nationally significant.

This edition also explore factors that affect Australians’ hip pockets – gambling (Rev Tim Costello), the housing crisis (Toby Hall), chronic disadvantage (Ruth Limkin) and fragile families (Professor Patrick Parkinson) – which have large knock on effects for our domestic economy.

The ACL’s new editor of Viewpoint Magazine, Sarah Cleaves, is interested to learn what people love about the publication and how the ACL can improve it. Please take 5 – 10 minutes to complete the survey – this will help the ACL to design a magazine that meets the readerships’ interests and needs. Please log onto the following website or call Peter Toms at the ACL office (02 6259 0431) who can organise to mail a survey out.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ViewpointMagazine

New subscriptions for Viewpoint can be done online at www.viewpointmagazine.com.au or by telephoning Peter Toms at the ACL office (02 6259 0431).

Pick of the news – Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:26:19 +0000

Children & Family
Before welfare there was family
John Birmingham – SMH

Emergency accommodation, aged care, child minding, educational support, rehabilitation… you think of a welfare service paid for by taxes, and once upon a time it wasn’t. It was siblings, parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins who stepped up. Maybe it’s just not possible to do that any more, not just because of the mobility and turbulence of modern life, but because families are much smaller than they used to be, and of course they break apart increasingly regularly too.

Classification
Parents Television Council issues warning re: MTV’s ‘Pants’
Bill Bumpas – OneNewsNow

“MTV has a new show called ‘I Just Want My Pants Back’ — and as you might imagine it’s a show that’s absolutely replete with both sexual content and sexual dialogue,” he says. “And it’s one that’s been mis-appropriately rated as appropriate for a 14-year-old child — and MTV is on the record as having targeted a demographic beginning with children as young as 12.” Coming to Australia on Seven.

Drugs & Alcohol
Movies featuring alcohol induce teens to start drinking
Medical Net

Young teens who watch a lot of movies featuring alcohol are twice as likely to start drinking compared to peers who watch relatively few such films, reveals research published in the online journal BMJ Open. And these teens are significantly more likely to progress to binge drinking, the study shows.

Gambling
Ross Clifford calls for NSW gambling inquiry
NSW Council of Churches

The President of the NSW Council of Churches, the Rev. Dr Ross Clifford, has called on the O’Farrell Government to hold a wide-ranging inquiry into the gambling industry. Dr Clifford, who was elected President of the Council on February 7, said the inquiry should examine the social impact of poker machines, telephone betting and online betting.

Human Rights
OK to be racist, says axed candidate
Bridie Jabour, Daniel Hurst – SMH

The dumped Queensland state Labor candidate Peter Watson was making neo-Nazi comments on the internet as recently as last month, and yesterday said he stood by his racist remarks. Mr Watson, who was to stand in the state election, was expelled from the ALP yesterday after admitting to a series of online rants, including anti-homosexual views, which he claimed were several years old and did not reflect his current view.

Marriage
Fred Nile calls for State to stop funding Mardi Gras
Christian Today

The Rev Hon Fred Nile MLC, Leader of the Christian Democratic Party, has called on the NSW Government to end State-funded apartheid based on sexual orientation and invest funds that would otherwise have been spent supporting the 2012 Sydney Mardi Gras Festival into infrastructure and services for the benefit of all.

Gay pairs chew on marriage
Jessica Marszalek – Daily Telegraph

Julia Gillard last night swapped leadership talk for a grilling on gay marriage when she welcomed three homosexual couples to dinner. The Prime Minister entertained two lesbian couples and a male couple who won the chance in an auction that raised $31,000 for charity paid by social campaigner GetUp.

PM says same-sex marriage certain to happen, diners say
Jessica Wright – SMH

The same-sex couples who dined with Julia Gillard at the Lodge last night claim the Prime Minister said legislative changes that would allow them to marry are inevitable, although she was careful to add her own position on same-sex marriage was unchanged.

Get in the Q
Tommy Berne – Gay News Network

While a decision prohibiting a local polyamory group to march in Mardi Gras Parade was eventually overturned, that their exclusion was even considered raises questions about how we view the LGBTIQ community, writes Tommy Berne.

Politics
MPs consider a Crean break amid leadership war
Matthew Franklin and Dennis Shanahan – The Australian

Labor veteran Simon Crean is being touted by colleagues as a possible compromise candidate in the leadership battle, amid fears Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd’s ongoing war could leave both fatally damaged. The Prime Minister’s supporters have continued to press her to call a leadership ballot for next week, expressing confidence she would crush the Foreign Minister and be free to throw him out of cabinet.

PM hounded by Rudd leadership speculation
Alexandra Kirk – ABC

And now to federal politics, where the Prime Minister is saying, surprise, surprise, she’s getting on with her job. Julia Gillard wants to lead a national debate about school funding, following yesterday’s release of the Gonski report. But wherever she goes she’s plagued by questions about Kevin Rudd and her leadership.

Republic ‘not at the moment’: Gillard
SMH

Australia’s republican debate is not of current concern, says Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who spoke highly of the royal family on British television. While the federal Labor leader admits Australia should again hold a referendum on its constitutional status, she added it should not happen “at the moment”.

Stephen Conroy aide Ben Carroll up for Melbourne by-election
John Ferguson – The Australian

A prominent federal Labor adviser was last night endorsed as the party’s candidate to fight the Victorian by-election created by the resignation of former deputy premier Rob Hulls. Ben Carroll, an adviser to Communications Minister Stephen Conroy, was overwhelmingly endorsed by the right-wing Labor Unity faction to contest the northwestern Melbourne seat of Niddrie.

Curse of Kardashian: now O’Farrell under fire for ‘whining puppy’ crack
Josephine Tovey – Hume Weekly

The NSW opposition has called on Premier Barry O’Farrell to apologise for likening a female politician to a whining puppy in question time today. During a response to a question from Labor asking him to apologise for comments made by his Health Minister Jillian Skinner about businessman Roger Corbett last week, the Premier made a joke about the former deputy premier, Labor member for Marrickville, Carmel Tebbutt.

Religious Freedom & Persecution
Iran: Christian arrests indicate renewed crackdown is underway
Aidan Clay – ASSIST News Service

In Iran’s 1979 revolution, many Iranians believed that an Islamic-based government would offer the reforms and freedoms they had long sought under the Shah. Thirty-three years later, however, Iranians have grown disillusioned as their government has plunged them into economic stagnation and has isolated them from the international community. Though massive protests have thus far failed to grant Iranians the freedoms they desire, idleness and hardship have led many Iranians to seek answers outside of Islam. Thousands are now finding hope in the Christian faith, but not without great cost.

Sexualisation of Society
Students plied with booze, X-rated movies
Aja Styles – SMH

A sexual assault victim of convicted paedophile Dennis McKenna has told a special inquiry about the mockery boys suffered while being forced to go naked before McKenna and other boys at a state-run hostel.

Other
Billy Graham: Pastor to Presidents
Charismanews

Billy Graham has often said, “Whether the story of Christ is told in a huge stadium, across the desk of a powerful leader or shared with a golfing companion, it satisfies a common hunger. All over the world, whenever I meet people face-to-face, I am made aware of this personal need among the famous and successful, as well as the lonely and obscure.” Every U.S. President since World War II through Barack Obama has met with Billy Graham. Here are short snippets of their stories:

Losing your religion has link with disorders
Tanveer Ahmed – SMH

A draft of the new classification system for psychiatry is now public. Rarely has a set of dry guidelines from Washington DC caused such consternation. Outlets from The New York Times to the Hindustan Times heralded its arrival. You would think it was the work of the World Bank or International Monetary Fund, not a bunch of shrinks. Already there is a howl of protest about the unending loosening of mental illness. There are fears mental illness will become the new normal.

Stephen O’Doherty on the Political Spot

Katherine Spackman, PR Officer — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 23:42:32 +0000

Stephen O’Doherty is the CEO of Christian Schools Australia. He spoke to the ACL’s Katherine Spackman about the Gonski Review and what this will mean for Christian schools. Click here to read the transcript.

Toby Hall on the Political Spot

Katherine Spackman, PR Officer — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 23:24:27 +0000

Toby Hall is the CEO of Mission Australia. He spoke to the ACL’s Katherine Spackman about the real employment rate and how it’s affecting young people the most.

Pick of the news – Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Admin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:29:08 +0000

Bioethics
Sex-changing treatment for kids: It’s on the rise
Associated Press

A small but growing number of teens and even younger children who think they were born the wrong sex are getting support from parents and from doctors who give them sex-changing treatments, according to reports in the medical journal Pediatrics. It’s an issue that raises ethical questions, and some experts urge caution in treating children with puberty-blocking drugs and hormones.

Stem cell institute’s ambitious campaign
Cathoic News

With pro-life ethics and a patient-driven paradigm, the John Paul II Stem Cell Research Institute hopes to save lives and shape the future of medicine, reports the Catholic News agency. “Medical research is becoming too expensive and taking too long.

Classification
Mardi Gras films banned
Star Observer

The Classification Board has refused exemption for two films in the program for the Mardi Gras Film Festival. The films, ‘Community Action Centre’ and ‘In Their Room: Berlin’, contain some unsimulated sexual activity.

R18+ classification for videogames the quest continues
Sam Hinton – The Conversation

Late last week Federal Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare introduced a bill to parliament that takes Australia one step closer to an R18+ classification for videogames. No sooner had the classification bill been introduced than the Coalition responded by calling for an inquiry into the bill.

Drugs & Alcohol
Booze buster toast of the govt
Jorge Branco – Central Queensland News

A health initiative started on the Sunshine Coast to help young people avoid alcohol abuse has scored a $100,000 windfall from the State Government. Hello Sunday Morning, created by former Coast man Chris Raine, works to reshape the country’s drinking culture by encouraging people to give up drinking for a set period. It has earnt Mr Raine, who now lives in Melbourne, the title of 2012 Young Australian of the Year.

Drink spikers take shots at women
The Daily Telegraph

Women who think drugs are always used to spike drinks have been warned that men are simply buying double shots or adding large amounts of alcohol to target victims. Hundreds of women continue to fall victim to drink spiking despite years of warnings from police and licensed venues.

Education
Gonski’s $5bn blueprint to arrest student decline
Justine Ferrari – The Australian

The Gillard government’s commitment to overhaul school funding was thrown into doubt yesterday after Julia Gillard described the independent Gonski review only as “a good insight” and failed to endorse its approach. The Prime Minister refused to back key recommendations of the Gonski report, released yesterday, including the need to boost government funding for schools by at least $5 billion a year.

Bligh dangles education carrot to voters
Kym Agius – SMH

Premier Anna Bligh has dangled a $4000 gift to Queensland high school graduates and vowed to invest millions in the state’s children, while admitting it’s hard to drag voters’ attention away from Labor’s federal leadership woes. Ms Bligh travelled to the central Queensland mining centre of Rockhampton on day two of the election campaign, to re-launch Labor’s Mines to Minds policy.

Flawed system fails autistic pupils, parents say
Charis Chang – Manly Daily

Imagine you are a school teacher and one of your students comes running to you in tears. She has just been shoved by another student who she tried to hug. What do you do? “Of course they punish the kid that pushed,” Autism Community Network founder Steve Drakoulis said. “You’re not going to punish someone for hugging but the pushing is punished.”

Euthanasia
Tasmania on track to legalise euthanasia
Catholic News

Tasmania may be on track to become the first state in Australia to legalise euthanasia, as Premier Lara Giddings and Greens Leader Nick McKim prepare a Private Members’ Bill, reports The Mercury. Mr McKim and Ms Giddings yesterday said they would soon release a voluntary euthanasia discussion paper. “It is high time that Tasmania’s laws caught up with public feeling on this issue,” Mr McKim said.

Gambling
Star Casino has extreme party culture
Yahoo News

A former Star employee says the Sydney casino is plagued by a culture of parties, irresponsible gambling and sexual harassment. The claims come just days after the NSW Gaming Authority announced an inquiry into the casino, following the sacking of its CEO Sid Vaikunta over sexual harassment allegations two weeks ago.

Marriage
Another inconvenient truth: Fragile families and the looming financial crisis for the welfare state
Patrick Parkinson – Family Law Quarterly

This article examines the emerging financial crisis for governments around the western world arising from the growing fragility of family life and the increase in births to mothers without a partner living in the home. The costs of family instability are not just borne by individuals. They are to a very significant extent borne by taxpayers, who provide income support for many parents and their children, pay substantial administrative costs in ensuring income transfers through the child support system, and bear more of the costs of caring for the elderly than would be necessary if a greater number of marital and quasi-marital relationships remained intact.

Same-sex marriage plan ‘power grab’
UKPA

Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey is lending his weight to a campaign against plans to legalise same-sex marriages. In an article for the Daily Mail, Lord Carey claimed the proposal to change the status of marriage “constitutes one of the greatest political power grabs in history”.

Politics
Labor rebels draw up battle plan to bring on challenge
Phillip Coorey, Peter Hartcher – SMH

Senior ministers have held secret discussions to reassure themselves Julia Gillard still has majority support, while rebel caucus members have drafted a petition in a bid to force a leadership spill next week. The petition, yet to be circulated, needs a minimum 35 signatures to force a spill should the impasse between Ms Gillard and Kevin Rudd not be broken before Parliament resumes on Monday.

Christian lobby targets MPs over same-sex debate
Michael McKenna – The Australian

The Christian lobby has entered the Queensland election fight with an emotive attack on Labor MP Kate Jones. Ms Jones, who is defending her seat against Campbell Newman, has been confronted over the former minister’s support for legislation clearing the way for same-sex couples to have civil unions and a child through surrogacy. The Australian Family Association has sent leaflets to homes in the Brisbane electorate of Ashgrove, condemning Ms Jones for supporting laws that “violate kids’ rights to a mum and dad”.

Religious Freedom & Persecution
A new year of ‘dhimmitude’ for Egypt’s Copts
Raymond Ibrahim Bio – Front Page Mag

For Egypt’s Christian Copts, the New Year began with threats that their churches would be attacked during Christmas mass (celebrated on January 7). Happily, Coptic Christmas came and went without incident. Yet, if the Muslim Brotherhood “protected” Coptic churches when many around the world were watching, as soon as attention dissipated, it was business as usual.

Blast at Nigerian church wounds five
Herald Sun

A bomb planted by an abandoned car exploded outside a church in the middle of a worship service near Nigeria’s capital, wounding five people amid a continuing wave of violence by a radical Islamist sect, authorities and witnesses say.

Muslims stone Christians on Temple Mount
Ryan Jones – Israel Today

A mob of some 50 Palestinian Muslims stoned a group of Christian tourists atop Jerusalem’s Temple Mount on Sunday morning. Three of the Israeli police officers who acted to protect the Christian group were wounded by the stone-throwers. Police arrested 11 Palestinians, several of them minors, for their role in the attack.

Other

A father’s betrayal of innocence – why did Jason Lees throw his son off the Story Bridge?
Kate Kyriacou and Alison Sandy – The Daily Telegraph

To the outside world, they were a close and loving family. Jason Lees, a popular private school teacher and successful international rugby referee, his wife Danielle Cara Sutton, a psychologist. Their two-year-old son a normal, well-adjusted boy. Their seemingly happy life together makes it even harder to understand what could have driven Mr Lees to take his son to Brisbane’s Story Bridge in the early hours yesterday, throw him over the edge, before jumping himself.

Dawkins hit by slavery ‘smear’
Adam Lusher – SMH

He has railed against the evils of religion, and lectured the world on the virtues of atheism. Now Richard Dawkins, the secularist campaigner against ”intolerance and suffering”, must face an awkward disclosure: he is descended from slave owners and his family estate was bought with a fortune partly created by forced labour.

Pick of the news – Monday, February 20, 2012

Admin — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 20:46:51 +0000

Abortion
School OK with zombies but not pro-life posters
Bob Unruh – WND

A district in Missouri has decided to allow images of zombies on its school walls but not posters promoting the Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity, which focuses on the abortions inflicted on American girls and women daily.

Charities & NFP
Special investigation: Charities use the hard sell
Jonathan Marshall – The Sunday Telegraph

Charities that hire professional door-to-door fundraisers to sign donors on to long-term payment plans do not receive one cent of the donation for the first year. The fundraisers are paid $100 commission for each donor signed up and are promised lucrative weekly earnings of up to $3000 – while marketing companies and collection agencies share in the rest of the donation.

Children & Family
Couples ‘Like’ Adopting Babies on Facebook
CBNNews

Social media has changed the way that individuals around the world interact with each other. They can share pictures and videos, stay updated on the lives of friends they don’t often get to see, or find out what a friend is thinking about at any given moment. Now, there’s one more thing to add to the list. Some couples are actually adopting babies through Facebook.

Classification
Whatever happened to media ethics and self-regulation?
David Penberthy – The Punch

We live in a world where everyone knows everything all the time, where the limited old ways of accessing information are no more, where people who are quaintly still described as newspaper “photographers” now shoot video footage for 24-hour news websites which you can watch on your telephone, your tablet or television.

Education
Gonski wants every school’s funding to be needs-based
Jewel Topsfield, Bianca Hall – SMH

The Gonski report into school funding will recommend a financial benchmark for the cost of educating a child to a national standard.

Solution for schools: $5bn Garrett’s answer: fat chance
Stephanie Peatling – SMH

A $5 billion injection into the schools system is needed to give students a gold-standard education, but the Gillard government has refused to commit to the funding its education review recommends. Instead, the government will focus on students in disadvantaged areas and not embrace any new model until after a lengthy community debate that it hopes will avoid the rancour surrounding Labor’s last attempt to deal with the vexed issue in 2004.

Home schooling grows on Central Coast
Pauline Priest – Express Advocate

Mother of five Vivienne Fox said there were more than 250 families who home-school on the Central Coast, networking through the CChomeed Yahoo group. The Fox children have never attended formal school. Mrs Fox decided to home-school her children after she was struck by the way home-educated children could interact with other people.

Environment
Support for CSG collapses: Queensland Newspoll
Jamie Walker – The Australian

Public confidence in coal-seam gas development has collapsed in the sector’s production heartland of Queensland, where two-thirds of voters oppose the $60 billion industry or are undecided about it, far outnumbering its supporters.

Euthanasia
Sarkozy draws line in sand over euthanasia
Michael Cook – Bio Edge

The two candidates in France’s presidential election are using euthanasia as one of the defining differences in the campaign. In a wide-ranging interview in Le Figaro, President Nicolas Sarkozy explained why he would not back it.

Gambling
Star casino facing more vice allegations
Jonathan Swan, Sean Nicholls – SMH

A former senior manager at the Star casino has turned whistle-blower to reveal the extent of illicit drug use, sexual harassment and bullying at her former workplace. The allegations will feature in an interview with the manager for Channel Seven news, to screen tonight.

Casinos make pre-commitment
Amy Remeikis – SMH

Voluntary pre-commitment modules will be added to 3000 of Queensland pokies, bringing the percentage of the state’s machines with the technology to 18 per cent. But anti-gambling campaigner, independent federal senator Nick Xenophon, has labelled the move relatively empty.

Marriage
Gay couples to dine with Julia Gillard
Herald Sun

Same-sex couples hope dinner party talk will help change Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s mind about gay marriage. On Tuesday Prime Minister will dine with couples in same-sex relationships at The Lodge in Canberra. The dinner was won by GetUp and Australian Marriage Equality in a charity auction in June.

Politics
Showdown inevitable, say both sides
Philp Coorey – SMH

Julia Gillard is under growing pressure to call a leadership ballot, with the warring parties believing a showdown is inevitable when Parliament resumes next week.

Tackle Kevin Rudd now, Julia Gillard urged
Matthwe Franklin – The Australian

Julia Gillard is being urged to take on Kevin Rudd in a ballot as early as next week to prevent Labor’s leadership wrangling smashing the party’s chances in the March 24 Queensland election. After weeks of playing down the push to restore the Foreign Minister to the Labor leadership, sections of Labor’s Right faction moved to a war footing yesterday, urging the Prime Minister to call a caucus ballot they predicted she would win.

Cadre of Labor MPs undermining PM – Emerson
Herald Sun

Trade Minister Craig Emerson says a cadre of Labor MPs are creating a sense of instability in the federal government to damage Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Rumblings about the future of Ms Gillard have increased since parliament resumed this month.

Religious Freedom & Persecution
Islamic religious persecution goes unnoticed

Ayaan Hirsi Ali wrote in her Newsweek article, that there is a “conspiracy of silence” over mass religious persecution of Christians in Muslim nations. Christians are being killed in the Islamic world because of their religion. It is a rising genocide that ought to provoke global alarm.

After surviving sectarian mob, Egyptian Christians expelled from village
Kristen Chick – CS Monitor

The case sends a worrying signal that Egypt’s new parliament is allowing a Mubarak-era system of local justice to trump the rule of law. The violence in Sharbat began as many sectarian conflicts in Egypt do – with rumors of an affair between a Christian man and a Muslim woman. It ended with eight Christian families forced to leave the village, their property and belongings left to be sold on their behalf by a local committee. The punishment for those who looted and burned Christian properties? None.

Other
Church is ‘under-appreciated’, says Queen
Christian Today

At a time of increasing division between faith and secularism, the Queen has delivered a robust defence of the Church and faith in British society. In a speech to a multi-faith gathering at Lambeth Palace, the official residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Queen said the Church of England was “under-appreciated” and “misunderstood”.

Limbless motivational speaker enjoys honeymoon on the beach a week after marrying the love of his life
Daily Mail

These incredible pictures show motivational speaker Nick Vujicic and his new wife on the beach in Hawaii, frolicking like any other couple on their honeymoon. Vujicic was born with no limbs, a crippling disability that meant he had little hope of ever living a normal life. Tetra-amelia syndrome is a rare disorder characterised by the absence of both arms and legs.

Weapons, drugs and alcohol and porn seized in Victorian jails
Peter Rolfe – Herald Sun

A gun fashioned into a pen, a mobile phone turned into a wristwatch and a toothbrush crafted into a knife are among a haul of banned items seized at Victorian jails. Weapons, drugs and alcohol, pornography and computer games are among the more than 290 contraband items caught on prisoners and visitors to state jails each week.

Pick of the news – Sunday, February 19, 2012

Admin — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 02:09:05 +0000

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.

ABORTION

Alabama Supreme Court in landmark ruling: ‘each person has a God-given right to life’

Ben Johnson – LifeSiteNews

In a landmark legal case that established the right of a mother to sue if her unborn child wrongfully dies before viability, today the Alabama State Supreme Court unanimously ruled that “each person has a God-given right to life.”

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/alabama-supreme-court-each-person-has-a-god-given-right-to-life

GAMBLING

An epic fight to preserve the spirit of a community

On Tuesday night, after a packed and emotion-charged meeting, the local Mount Alexander Shire authorised an appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal against a decision that would more than treble the number of poker machines in the town, about 120 kilometres north-west of Melbourne.

Bruce Guthrie – Sydney Morning Herald

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/an-epic-fight-to-preserve-the-spirit-of-a-community-20120218-1tfrt.html

Greens hedge their bets on poker machine legislation

Richard Willingham – Canberra Times

The Greens are refusing to guarantee support of the federal government’s poker machine reform legislation because the plan to trial mandatory precommitment and introduce technology on all new machines is holding back meaningful changes.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/greens-hedge-their-bets-on-poker-machine-legislation-20120217-1tf2e.html

INDIGENOUS

Indigenous suicide rate tackled

Russell Skelton – Sydney Morning Herald

IN A move to combat the high indigenous suicide rate, prevention programs will be strictly audited and required to be more transparent in the way they operate. Counsellors hired by consultants will be also be urged to undergo cultural awareness training before they work in remote communities. http://www.smh.com.au/national/indigenous-suicide-rate-tackled-20120217-1ter3.html

Indigenous children not to be part of ABS survey

Lisa Martin – Canberra Times

Indigenous children should be included in voluntary medical tests being conducted as part of a national health survey, a federal inquiry has heard. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/indigenous-children-not-to-be-part-of-abs-survey-20120217-1teyo.html

MARRIAGE

New Jersey governor vetoes gay marriage bill

BBC

The governor of the US state of New Jersey has vetoed a bill allowing same-sex marriage just a day after it was passed by the state Assembly. Chris Christie – a rising star in the Republican party – renewed his call for a referendum to decide the issue http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-17081970

Maryland House approves same-sex marriage

Tom McParland – Capital News Service

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – After a year of highly contested debate and political wrangling, the Maryland General Assembly is poised to become the third state legislature this month to approve same-sex marriage after the House of Delegates on Friday voted 72-67 to pass the Civil Marriage Protection Act. ttp://news.bostonherald.com/news/national/south/view/20120218maryland_house_approves_same-sex_marriage/srvc=home&position=recent

POLITICS

Election needed to move beyond Gillard-Rudd war, says Opposition leader

AAP

LABOR’S internal war over the leadership has paralysed the federal government, made it totally dysfunctional and a fresh election is needed, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said today. Mr Abbott seized on reports Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd is preparing to challenge Prime Minister Julia Gillard for the Labor leadership. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/election-needed-to-move-beyond-gillard-rudd-war-says-opposition-leader/story-fn59niix-1226274539101

Bligh to call Qld state election

AAP

The Queensland Premier is today due to see Governor Penelope Wensley, to call an election for March 24, meaning parliament will be dissolved and Anna Bligh’s government will go into care-taker mode. The opposition Liberal National Party needs only a swing of about 4.6 per cent to topple the government.   http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/state-election-2012/bligh-to-call-qld-state-election-20120219-1tgom.html

OTHER

When it’s ethical to disclose your religious beliefs

Jennifer Wilson – Online Opinion

What I learned about being a Christian is that a follower is expected to live his or her faith. It isn’t some abstract concept that is trotted out on Sundays. It’s supposed to imbue every aspect of life, every action the believer takes is to be taken in God’s light, and when a Christian encounters difficulties of any kind, a Christian prays to God for guidance and sustenance. No matter what one’s profession, one is expected to perform it as a Christian, according to Christian values. http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=13262

Pick of the news – Saturday, February 18, 2012

Admin — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 02:18:50 +0000

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.

Children & Family

Middle-class tax justice goes out the window

BY:ANGELA SHANAHAN  The Australian

The feminist-led push for getting more women into the workforce … has opted for a system that rewards only women who workhttp://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/middle-class-tax-justice-goes-out-the-window/story-e6frgd0x-1226274083291

Indigenous suicide rate tackled

Russell Skelton The Age

IN A move to combat the high indigenous suicide rate, prevention programs will be strictly audited and required to be more transparent in the way they operate.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/indigenous-suicide-rate-tackled-20120217-1ter3.html

Gambling

Women at greater danger from pokies, report finds

Jason Dowling

THE number of women gambling is increasing and ease of access to poker machines is a key factor in producing problem gambling in women, new government funded research has found.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/women-at-greater-danger-from-pokies-report-finds-20120217-1ter6.html

Clubs to support pokie test

Richard Willingham The Age

THE government is a step closer to securing a trial of poker machine reforms in the ACT after a meeting of local clubs agreed, in principle, to support a year-long test of a scheme that would force punters to preset how much they are willing to lose.http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/clubs-to-support-pokie-test-20120216-1tbwt.html

Human Rights

Twitter sued over Hardy tweet

Michelle Griffin The Age

TWITTER is being sued for defamation for the first time under Australian law.
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/twitter-sued-over-hardy-tweet-20120216-1tbxz.html

Freedom of conscience at risk in USA

Mishka Góra - Online Opinion

There is a word for what is happening in the United States at the moment, and that word is totalitarianism.

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=13252

Religious leaders unite against pill plan

The World Today ABC North America correspondent Jill Colgan

Religious leaders from multiple faiths have united in an unprecedented show of strength against US president Barack Obama’s healthcare plan to ensure all women have access to birth control.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-17/religious-leaders-unite-against-pill-plan/3836440

Marriage

Is there ever a good divorce?

OPINION SMH

New research from sociology professor Paul Amato says children always suffer.

The academic – Patrick Parkinson

FOR decades, people have been told in the popular media that a ”good divorce” is better for children than an unhappy marriage. Yet the evidence has been mounting for years that for many children, this is simply not so

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/is-there-ever-a-good-divorce-20120217-1teeu.html

Politics

Kevin Rudd marches towards Labor leadership challenge

·         BY:DENNIS SHANAHAN AND SID MAHER  The Australian

KEVIN Rudd is prepared to challenge Julia Gillard as prime minister next month, before the Queensland election and the federal budget parliamentary session.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/kevin-rudd-marches-towards-labor-leadership-challenge/story-fn59niix-1226274289396

War looms as PM’s loyalists turn on Rudd

Peter Hartcher, Phillip Coorey SMH

SOME cabinet ministers have begun lobbying for caucus votes in support of the Prime Minister, criticising Kevin Rudd and betraying anxiety that he is gaining support.
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/war-looms-as-pms-loyalists-turn-on-rudd-20120217-1teic.html

Campbell Newman ready to rout Anna Bligh as Newspoll shows big lead

·         BY:MICHAEL MCKENNA, QUEENSLAND POLITICAL EDITOR The Australian

CAMPBELL Newman has extended the Liberal National Party’s commanding lead over Labor in Queensland, and enters the state election campaign on track to inflict a savage defeat on the Bligh government.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/elections/campbell-newman-ready-to-rout-anna-bligh-as-newspoll-shows-commanding-lead/story-fnbsqt8f-1226274294804

Refugees

Supporters dismiss claim of red carpet for refugees

Kirsty Needham

CHURCH leaders, health and charity groups have joined the federal government in condemning claims that conditions for asylum seekers living in flats and houses as part of community detention are ”luxurious”.

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/supporters-dismiss-claim-of-red-carpet-for-refugees-20120217-1tebm.html

MR: Same-sex marriage doesn’t rate in GetUp survey of “hundreds of thousands of Australians”

ACL Team — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 06:27:17 +0000

MEDIA RELEASE

For release: Friday, February 17, 2012

The release today of the left leaning GetUp organisation’s top 10 issues for 2012 is silent on same-sex marriage despite the enormous amount of time and money the group spends on the issue.

According to a GetUp e-mail issued this afternoon, the list was compiled from a survey last week of “hundreds of thousands of Australians”.

Australian Christian Lobby Managing Director Jim Wallace said this was further evidence politicians were being driven by a tiny minority of noisy fringe activists on an issue that not even the supporters of a far left activist group thought was important, let alone mainstream voters.

Despite the inordinate amount of time and members’ money GetUp spends on same-sex marriage campaigns, this was the second time the issue had not rated amongst the top ten issues their members were concerned about, following a similar result in 2009.

“With no less than three bills before Federal Parliament and the second Senate inquiry in two years into gay marriage now underway, surely it is time to question the extraordinary amount of Parliamentary time being spent on this issue,” Mr Wallace said.

“With same-sex marriage motions and bills this week in the New South Wales and South Australian Parliaments and the ACT Legislative Assembly, it is clear that the activists’ strategy is legislation by fatigue.”

According to GetUp, the top ten list are the issues its members wish it to campaign on in 2012.

“With GetUp’s grass roots telling it same-sex marriage doesn’t rate, hopefully we can all move on to more important issues such as poker machine reform, which did rate, and integrity in politics,” Mr Wallace said.

Including biological details on birth certificates is a good move

Katherine Spackman, PR Officer — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:58:43 +0000

Media Release

Friday, February 17, 2012

The Australian Christian Lobby has welcomed news the NSW Government is considering introducing laws to reinstate a child’s biological heritage on a birth certificate.

The ACL’s NSW State Director David Hutt said birth certificates should be a record of genetic parentage for children, which was detailed in the ACL’s submission to the Inquiry into Inclusion of Donor Details on the register of births .

“A child’s genetic identity is a question of fact, and not of family circumstance or makeup,” Mr Hutt said. “The register of births should be a record of truth. It should not be manipulated to satisfy the sensitivities of adults,” he said.

“It has taken the heart-wrenching story that we heard last year about a sperm donor being removed from his child’s birth certificate, for politicians and society to realise the impact of laws that remove fathers and mothers from birth certificates.

“The NSW Parliament now has an opportunity to amend laws to ensure birth certificates record accurately the truth of a person’s birth,” he said.

Pick of the news – Friday, February 17, 2012

Admin — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:37:47 +0000

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.

Abortion
People with disabilities offer a “Thread for weaving joy”
Charles Chaput – LifeNews.com

While some people resent the imperfection, the inconvenience, and the expense of persons with disabilities, others see in them an invitation to learn how to love deeply without counting the cost. God will demand an accounting.

Charities & NFP
Opinion – Treasury proposal for charities commission misguided
Catholic News

Quick question: How many not-for-profit organisations are there in Australia? 20,000? 50,000? 100,000? In fact, there is a staggering 600,000 not-for-profit organisations around the country doing everything from caring for the aged and people with disabilities to running local sports club and community gardens and everything in between, writes Martin Laverty, CEO of Catholic Health Australia.

Classification
R18+ video game classification expected by 2013
Harrison Polites – Technology Spectator

R18+ video game classification legislation has been introduced into the lower house of Australian parliament and is expected to come into effect by 2013. The government conducted a public consultation on the issue which resulted in around 58,000 submissions over two years.

Pyrrhic Victory: Behind the rhetoric of the R18+ debate
Daniel Golding – Crikey

The debate over an R18+ classification for videogames in Australia has been the most pervasive public discussion on videogames of the last decade, yet it has never really been about classification.

Donor Conception & Surrogacy
Sperm donors’ secret details tagged on birth certificates
Patrick Lion – The Daily Telegraph

Birth certificates could be secretly tagged with the identity of sperm or egg donors under a controversial state government proposal to help children track down their biological parents later in life. Notes or “hidden” addendums would be linked to the certificates, telling the child that more information relating to their donor was available when they turned 18.

Drugs & Alcohol
High use of prescription drugs found among police detainees
Herald Sun

A new study has uncovered an unexpectedly high rate of prescription drug use among people detained by police, with one in four obtaining the drugs from illegal sources. Drugs such as methadone, used as a heroin substitute in treatment of addiction, were procured mostly on legal prescriptions.

Counterfeit drugs becoming big business worldwide
The Associated Press

The discovery that a fake version of the widely used cancer medicine Avastin is circulating in the United States is raising new fears that the multibillion-dollar drug-counterfeiting trade is increasingly making inroads in the U.S. The criminal practice has largely been relegated to poor countries with lax regulations. But with more medicines and drug ingredients for sale in the U.S. being manufactured overseas, American authorities are afraid more counterfeits will find their way into this country, putting patients’ lives at risk.

E-cigarette explodes in man’s mouth
Rob Quinn – Newser

Scary news for electronic smokers: A 57-year-old man in Florida suffered serious injuries when an e-cigarette exploded in his mouth, ABC reports. The explosion knocked out all the man’s teeth and part of his tongue, and severely burned his face. “The best analogy is that it was like trying to hold a bottle rocket in your mouth when it went off,” says the police officer who responded to the call. “The battery flew out of the tube and set the closet on fire.”

Education
Gonski review: time for a new vision for Australian education
David Zyngier – The Conversation

Australia’s educational system must be one of the most over-reviewed in the OECD. Hundreds of Select Committees – Federal and State, Upper and Lower House in the past 20 years have reviewed teacher quality and student outcomes. And we still haven’t got it right. Now we have the Gonski Review into funding arrangements, in which Mr Gonski looks forward to an education system premised on ensuring “educational outcomes are not the result of differences in wealth, income, power or possessions”.

School computers soon to outnumber students
John Ferguson – The Australian

More than 130,000 extra school computers have been bought and installed nationally than were initially required by the states and territories under Labor’s digital education revolution rollout, new figures show. The biggest winner under the school computer windfall was NSW, with more than 100,000 extra units installed than were originally forecast to be needed.

Euthanasia
Nitschke visit stirs debate
Bruce Mounster – The Mercury

Tasmania may be on track to become the first state in Australia to legalise euthanasia, as Premier Lara Giddings and Greens Leader Nick McKim prepare a Private Members’ Bill. But Exit International advocate Philip Nitschke yesterday told more than 50 Tasmanians at a Launceston public meeting they didn’t have to wait. Australian Christian Lobby state director Mark Brown, who attended the meeting, said the cheapening of human life by the promotion of suicide options.

Queensland teacher Merin Nielsen jailed for aiding suicide of man, 76
Rosanne Barrett – The Australian

A Queensland judge has sentenced a former teacher who assisted the suicide of an elderly acquaintance to jail in the first case of its kind in the state. Merin Nielsen, 50, was sentenced to three years jail with a non-parole period of six months for assisting the suicide of 76-year-old Brisbane man Frank Ward.

Gambling
ACT pokies trial gets first nod
news.com

Canberra’s pokie clubs have agreed in-principle to participate in the Federal Government’s trial of mandatory pre-commitment technology. The technology requires gamblers to set limits on the amount of money they are willing to lose on high-betting machines which can chew through an average $1200 an hour.

Homelessness
Domestic violence support in doubt for homeless women
ABC

There are fears more Hunter Valley women could be living on the streets if a local women’s centre does not get ongoing funding. The Hunter Women’s Centre at Mayfield says it needs $55,000 a year to continue a program for women experiencing domestic violence.

Indigenous
Indigenous win for native title rights at Yarrabah
Laura Packham – Cains Post

Yarrabah resident Anthony Fourmile can now begin his “Australian dream” of building his own house on the land he has called home for the past 40 years. After a 16-year court battle for native title rights, the indigenous people of Yarrabah will officially be granted 30-year land leases in the coming weeks. In December, the Federal Court of Australia recognised the combined Gunggandji people’s native title rights over 7528ha of land and sea country, 6km east of Cairns.

Marriage
Wedding tourism booming in Queensland
Angela Saurine – The Australian

Wedding tourism is booming in Australia’s north despite the strong dollar, with a 30 per cent rise in the number of non-Queenslanders getting married in the Sunshine State in the past five years. From beach ceremonies on tropical islands to remote rainforest escapes, Births, Deaths and Marriage figures show there were 2640 weddings from domestic and international visitors last year.

Overseas Aid
UN aid chiefs call for $725mn for drought hit Sahel
AFP

United Nations and European Union aid chiefs called Wednesday for “urgent” assistance for West Africa’s drought-hit Sahel region, saying it needed $725 million (552 million euros) this year. “Around 725 million dollars is what is assessed to be needed this year,” Helen Clark, head of the aid agency UNDP, said after the meeting, which also included the EU’s Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid Kristalina Georgieva.

Prostitution & Sex Trafficking
Ex-MP and sex offender Terry Martin attacked outside court
Zara Dawtrey – The Mercury

Convicted child-sex offender and former-MP Terry Martin was attacked a Tasmanian court outside court this afternoon. In dramatic scenes, the former Legislative Councillor, who was late last year convicted of having sex with a 12-year-old prostitute, was struck by relatives of the girl as he was being led from Hobart’s Supreme Court this afteroon.

Religious Freedom & Persecution
NYC mayor defends school worship ban
Associated Press

Mayor Michael Bloomberg is defending New York City’s ban on worship services in public schools. The ban went into effect on Sunday. Asked on Monday whether he would consider a compromise, Bloomberg told The New York Times that the Constitution clearly calls for separation of church and state.

20,000 Muslims attempt to kill pastor and torch church in Egypt
AINA

A mob of nearly 20,000 radical Muslims, mainly Salafis, attempted this evening to break into and torch the Church of St. Mary and St. Abram in the village of Meet Bashar,in Zagazig, Sharqia province. They were demanding the death of Reverend Guirgis Gameel, pastor of the church, who has been unable to leave his home since yesterday. Nearly 100 terrorized Copts sought refuge inside the church.

Sexualisation of Society
Mossimo peepshow is ‘sexist rubbish’
Collective Shout

The promotion is called ‘Peepshow.’ Through the use of ‘peephole’ imagery and words like ‘strip’ on their signage, the promotion makes clear reference to the sex industry and voyeurism. The message to women here is, you are valued for your appearance and your ability to sexually arouse men. That’s your role in society.

Have your say on the same-sex marriage inquiry

Katherine Spackman, PR Officer — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 06:05:18 +0000

Recently in Parliament the Senate referred a same-sex marriage bill for inquiry and report. The Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee is taking submissions until April 2nd, 2012. Go to the website to submit an online form or alternatively post a submission. The committee is due to report on May 25, 2012.

The ACL has been a strong advocate for marriage to be defined as between a man and a woman and there are many resources on this website that you may wish to read before writing your submission. Those include information on the Man+Wife4Life Make a Stand campaign and information within the marriage section on this website.

In the media – a wrap up of the last week’s commentary

Katherine Spackman, PR Officer — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 05:40:31 +0000

In the last week the ACL has been called upon to comment on the regulation of the sex industry in Tasmania, the introduction of same-sex marriage bills into parliament as well as the introduction of legislation of R18+ games. The ACL’s Make it Count forum in Brisbane was also referred to in the press.

Queensland election coverage:

Brisbane Times Poll Call : February 16

The Courier Mail All quiet on the election front. Too quiet.

R18 games legislation

The Wire Moral Kombat? R18+ game classification debate gets real

Regulation of the sex industry:

The Examiner Sex industry reform: the great divide

Have your say on Tasmania prostitution review

ACL Team — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 05:29:24 +0000

Tasmania is currently reviewing its prostitution laws with the possibility that prostitution will be decriminalised. The Australian Christian Lobby has set up a campaign at Make a Stand to allow Tasmanians to have their say.

Attorney-General Brian Wightman released a discussion paper in January which examines three options for reform: criminalisation (making prostitution illegal); decriminalisation (making it legal and allowing it to operate like any other industry); and licensing (making it legal but regulating it).

ACL has long advocated criminalising prostitution using the “Swedish model”. This system makes the purchase of prostitution illegal while not criminalising the prostituted women.

The model aims to reduce prostitution by targeting the driving force behind it – demand for the purchase of sex.

The model has had great success in Sweden in reducing prostitution and human trafficking. Several other countries have since implemented similar prostitution laws.

ACL advocates this model because it sends the clear message that men cannot assume the right to purchase a woman’s body for sex on demand. Prostitution is exploitative and abusive of women and should not be tolerated in a just society.

Despite this, the Discussion Paper seems to favour decriminalising prostitution.

Please visit Make a Stand, get informed, and take action. Follow the links to make a submission to the inquiry, write to your local Member, or send a letter to the editor.

What to make of this week’s onslaught of same-sex marriage legislation

Lyle Shelton, Chief of Staff — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:17:22 +0000

With our nation suffering a leadership void, those pushing for culture re-defining same-sex marriage are filling the space, using the Parliament with great effect.

The Greens, Labor’s Left and sections of the media are obsessed with it.

But despite all their apparent momentum, they have not achieved their objective and may never.

This is what has happened in the two short weeks Parliament has been back since the Christmas recess.

Last week, Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young successfully established a Senate Inquiry into her failed 2010 same-sex marriage bill.

This will be the second time in two years the Senate has inquired into her bill.

But the Greens believe in legislation by fatigue and you have to give them full marks for persistence.

On Monday Labor MP Stephen Jones rose in the House of Representatives chamber to move his bill on same-sex marriage which is similar to Hanson- Young’s.

This is part of Labor breaking its and Prime Minister Gillard’s election promises not to change the Marriage Act ‘if we’re re-elected’.

Also on Monday, the Reps’ only Greens member, Adam Bandt, teamed up with Tasmanian Independent Andrew Wilkie, to also move a same-sex marriage bill.

This bill is designed to assure Christians that they have nothing to fear from same-sex marriage and that churches will not be forced to ‘marry’ same-sex couples against their religious teachings.

For anyone to take these men seriously, they would have to believe that the gay activists have had a sudden change of heart.
Their aggressive intolerance to Christian teaching on marriage and the idea that wherever possible a child is entitled to its biological mother AND father is breathtaking.

Only the naive believe the Wilkie/Bandt proposed exemption would stand in the long term, as overseas experience shows.
Not all of the Parliamentary action is from the radical left.

Liberal MP Warren Entsch, says he’s against gay same-sex marriage but has suggested he might move his own private members bill for marriage-mimicking civil unions.

The gay lobby are dead against civil unions and will stop at nothing short of redefining marriage.

While civil unions may emerge as a political compromise, they will not provide a long-term settlement.

So what are we to make of all this?

It is unlikely there will be any vote on same-sex marriage until the completion of the Senate Inquiry.

It is now open for written submissions from the public and these are due on April 2. We should all write a short submission and e-mail it to the inquiry’s secretariat because in politics, especially in the current hyper-cynical environment where election promises mean nothing, the only currency is numbers.

Sorry to be so blunt but until we can restore principled public leadership, this is how it is.

The inquiry will report on May 25 and it is likely a vote on one or an amalgamation of the bills will be held in June before Parliament’s winter recess.

Many people are wondering what the chances are of a bill succeeding at this time.

ACL is confident the Coalition wants to differentiate itself from Labor which is bleeding credibility badly because it has shamelessly jettisoned so many election promises.

If the Coalition keeps its election promise, its numbers along with a core of Labor MPs and Senators who will vote against same-sex marriage, will be enough to preserve marriage in our culture for now.

Despite mixed public messages from some Coalition leadership figures, ACL has been assured the Coalition will hold the line.
We believe the battle for marriage can be won and we must trust God in the midst of all this.

One Senator not afraid to nail his colours to the mast is Ron Boswell from Queensland.

He told reporters waiting at the doors at Parliament House this week:

‘‘If you are going to have a society, a society must be based on the family and marriage underpins the family.”

He said moving towards a society that openly embraced same-sex marriage was a ‘‘very dangerous course’’.

‘‘Thank goodness, I think the numbers are not there for it to get through,’’ he said.

Pick of the news – Thursday, February 16, 2012

Admin — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:46:59 +0000

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.

Abortion
Organisers praying to stop abortion
Paul Dobbyn – Catholic Leader

The organisers of 40 Days For Life prayer campaigns around the world similar to one which starts in Brisbane on Tuesday have claimed the closure of 20 abortion centres as signs of success. Campaign organiser Brendan Wong hopes it will soon be Brisbane’s turn “for similar victories” when a prayer vigil continues throughout the 40 days of Lent outside a Bowen Hills abortion clinic.

Classification
Australian government says yes to R18+ video games bill
Claire Connelly and Lee Taylor – News.com

After 10 years of fighting and negotiations, a bill that will usher in an 18+ category for video games has been introduced. A bill was introduced into Federal Parliament today bringing classification categories for gaming in line with existing categories for films and television shows.

Drugs & Alcohol
Cocktail of pills and alcohol killed Whitney Houston
Rhys Blakey – The Times

Whitney Houston is thought to have died after taking a cocktail of prescription medicines and alcohol, but probably did not drown in her bath, investigators believe. Houston, 48, was found in the bath in her room at the Beverly Hilton hotel, Los Angeles, on Sunday (AEST). It is thought her aunt, Mary Jones, found her. Ms Jones had laid out a dress for the singer and left the room for about half an hour; when she returned, Houston was unconscious.

Gambling
Young men targeted by gambling companies
ABC

Researchers from Monash University say gambling companies are increasingly targeting young men who have disposable incomes.

Casino executive who complained of sexual harassment loses her job
Sean Nicholls, Matthew Moore - SMH

One of the two female executives at The Star casino who complained they were sexually harassed by its sacked former managing director, Sid Vaikunta, was told she had lost her job on Monday. The woman, a senior human resources executive at the casino for more than three years, is a close friend of Peter Grimshaw, a senior adviser to the Premier, Barry O’Farrell.

Human Rights
China vows to improve human rights
Herald Sun

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping says Beijing will take concrete steps to improve human rights as he admitted “there is always room for improvement.” Xi said that in his talks in Washington with President Barack Obama, he “stressed China has made tremendous and well-recognised achievements in the field of human rights over the past 30-plus years since reform and opening up”.

Marriage
Should you take his name?
Andrea Black – SMH

You’re at a wedding, the vows have been made, rings exchanged and kiss sealed when the celebrant makes the announcement to the standing party: “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the loving couple Mr and Mrs Benjamin Jones.” Depending on your point of view, those last five words can sound romantically unifying or they can rankle. What happened to the bride’s identity? While there are no official Australian records to verify if more brides are taking their husband’s surnames than, say, 20 years ago (Births, Deaths and Marriages and Australian Bureau of Statistics don’t keep a record), evidence suggests that more are returning to that tradition.

Should same-sex marriage be legalised in Australia, and why?
SMH

Kevin Andrews, and Stephen Jones debate the push for same-sex marriage laws in Australia.

Politics
Odds rapidly Shorten on a different leader
Malcolm Farr – The Punch

Labor MPs now feel condemned to an unhappy routine of Gillard Government advances crashing into the roadblock of the leadership standoff with Kevin Rudd. Many are also despairing over the prospect that the only way to end instability caused by Kevin Rudd’s ambitions is to gratify them.

Don’t dump PM, union bosses tell feuding factions
Phillip Coorey – SMH

Senior union figures are urging Gillard government MPs contemplating changing leaders to consider the political disaster that NSW Labor became. With pressure building on Julia Gillard and even her most loyal supporters conceding the matter could come to a head sooner rather than later, the union national secretaries told the Herald that dumping another prime minister would just exacerbate Labor’s plight.

Religious Freedom & Persecution
The disquieting treatment of Christians by the Palestinians
Michael Curtis – Stonegate Institute

In the voluminous commentaries on the Middle East today very little attention has been given to the sad fate of Christians in the Arab and Muslim countries. Even less attention has been paid to the contrast between the treatment of Christians in Israel and their treatment in Arab countries. In Israel Christians have religious freedom and their numbers have increased. In Arab countries the religious freedom of Christians is restricted and their number has been reduced because of harassment, fear, and persecution.

Refugees
UN chief calls for calm on refugees
Kirsty Needham – SMH

The United Nations refugee chief has called Australia’s collective obsession with asylum seekers arriving by boat ”out of proportion” and urged that the ”very politicised” debate be conducted in a less polarising manner.

Sexualisation of Society
Sexed up tween advertising shows fashion needs to grow up
Emma Rush and Caroline Norma – SMH

“The ‘sexualisation’ of girls for the purpose of selling products has been condemned worldwide for several years now as a form of ‘corporate paedophilia.’” ‘Corporate paedophilia’ is a worrying global trend on the rise. For those who might have missed it, Witchery has just launched a new clothing range for eight- to 14-year-old girls called “8fourteen”.

Porn teacher quits
Gelong Advertiser

The teacher at the centre of an online porn video has resigned from his position at Oberon High School. The Highton man, who was filmed having sex with his partner a former student at the school handed in his resignation as the storm raged over whether he was fit to continue as a teacher.

Other
Gay activists attack church over same-sex marriage message
Testify

Same Sex Marriage supporters attacked Wallsend Presbyterian Church last night in response to a message criticising same-sex marriage displayed on the building’s outside notice board. [ Note the graffiti message: “Tolerance is a virtue” and the forgiveness ]

Sign Barnabas Fund’s Proclaim Freedom Petition

Katherine Spackman, PR Officer — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:48:54 +0000

Barnabas Fund has launched a Proclaim Freedom Campaign to raise the profile of persecuted Christians around the world. Barnabas Fund says “Christians are one of the largest and most persecuted groups in the world. Yet they often appear to be the most neglected group in Western governments’ foreign policy. There is little concrete engagement with the issue of anti-Christian persecution, even though governments may recognise that respect for minorities and human rights is a foundation stone for national and international peace and security.”

Barnabas Fund says there are two aims of the campaign:

1. to press governments to be active in promoting human rights in other countries for all minorities, but especially religious freedom for the roughly 200 million Christians living under the shadow of persecution, discrimination and disadvantage

2. to press governments to work to ensure that other countries bring to justice citizens who either incite anti-Christian hatred or engage in anti-Christian violence

Barnabas Fund is encouraging Christians in Australia to download and sign a petition to the House of Representatives. Click here to download. The petition closes at the end of 2012. Please print off and share with friends and family and return to Barnabas Fund.

Queensland Election: LNP’s Campbell Newman’s address to Christians now online

Katherine Spackman, PR Officer — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:05:44 +0000

On Wednesday the 8th of February the Australian Christian Lobby held a leaders’ forum in Queensland in the lead up to the state election on March 24th. The LNP’s Campbell Newman address the Christian constituency and his address is in this video below. The ACL invited the Premier and Deputy Premier to attend the event but both declined ( Newman to address Christian voters via webcast but Premier declines invitation) . The ACL’s response to Campbell Newman’s comments can be read here. For more Queensland election coverage got to www.qldvotes.org.au and see if there’s a Meet Your Candidate Forum in your electorate.

ACL’s Make It Count! Queensland Votes Webcast 2012 – Full Version from Australian Christian Lobby on Vimeo.

Pick of the news – Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Admin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:40:11 +0000

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.

Drugs & Alcohol
Australian warship seizes 240kg of drugs
Herald Sun

The crew of an Australian warship has seized and destroyed more than 240 kilograms of heroin and amphetamines found aboard a ship that was intercepted in the North Arabian Sea. Defence said these drugs had a street value of $US5 million ($4.67 million). Anzac frigate HMAS Parramatta was operating as part of the Combined Task Force 150 which directed the interception of the suspect vessel on Friday.

Education
Bring back old-school learning to class
Sheradyn Holderhead – The Advertiser

School education will undergo a radical change if the Coalition makes it into government. Opposition education spokesman Christopher Pyne said it would reinstate a body of knowledge as the central focus. “I believe that education at school level should be about building knowledge and preparing children for a lifetime of learning,” he told The Advertiser. “An emphasis on skills rather than knowledge is a limitation.

Euthanasia
Legal euthanasia leads to pro suicide
Wesley J. Smith – First Things

Once, we looked to those who saved suicidal people from dying as the humane and compassionate heroes. After all, they valued the lives of everyone, even those unable to value their own. My how times change. Today, suicide promoters are the heroes. Case in point: In the Netherlands, despite a liberal euthanasia license, how-to-commit-suicide gurus are extolled.

Threat to Nitschke’s career after bid to import nembutal
Geesche Jacobsen – SMH

Controversial euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke could be barred from practising as a doctor as a result of an inquiry into his application to import the sedative nembutal to use as a sleeping pill for a terminally ill patient. The inquiry by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, which registers and regulates doctors, started in late November, even though Dr Nitschke’s application had not been decided.

Archbishop of Canterbury decries possible legalization of euthanasia in UK
Clara Morris – Christian Post

Archbishop Rowan Williams has spoken out against assisted suicide saying it is un-Christian and dangerous for society. To make his point heard, the spiritual head of the worldwide Anglican Communion drew comparisons between the legalization of abortion and the possible legalization of euthanasia. According to The Telegraph, Williams told the General Synod earlier this week, “The default position on abortion has shifted quite clearly over the past 40 years” and he lamented the impact that has had.

Gambling
Committee calls for research and education into online gambling risks
AAP

Online sports betting should be more tightly controlled, a federal parliamentary committee says. The committee’s recommendations include a ban on promoting live odds at sporting venues and during event broadcasts. The joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform report, which was chaired by Tasmanian independent MP Andrew Wilkie, was tabled yesterday.

History books will show the folly of being slaves to the pokie lobby
Tim Costello – SMH

William Wilberforce’s fight to end slavery was morally unambiguous. There is no serving politician who believes they would have been on the wrong side of that debate. But they are wrong. Like the end of apartheid, when it was impossible to find a white person who was ever in favour of the policy, slavery now seems a clear-cut issue. Yet there were many political leaders who opposed Wilberforce’s abolition bill from 1787 to 1807, even though all believed slavery to be distasteful. Sane arguments defeated Wilbe rforce’s nonetheless moral reforms for 20 years. While there is no moral equivalence between slavery and pokies, the same arguments are being used by the pokies lobby and bought by our politicians today. Like slavery in the time of Wilberforce, there is no politician that likes pokies. Indeed, most politicians on both sides tell me they hate them.

Homelessness
Struggling family forced to live in a tent
Yahoo!7

A brief camping trip might bring a lot of enjoyment for most children, but sleeping rough in a tent has become the only option for one homeless family of five. Kylie, Darron Henkel and their three children could no longer afford to pay the high rent at their Wollert home in Melbourne’s north after Darron lost his job as a truck driver. The family bought a tent and pitched it at a friend’s house at Kinglake, determined to stay in their local area.

Human Rights
Calls for Vanuatu unions to train seasonal workers on rights
Radio Australia

A Vanuatu employment agency has backed calls for unions to help educate Pacific seasonal workers about their legal rights. The issue arose after about 30 ni-Vanuatu workers quit their jobs in the Australian state of Victoria over a dispute over their pay and performance. The dispute is being investigated by Australia’s Fair Work Ombudsman.

Marriage
Christophobes march on
George Christensen MP – APH

The sentiments behind the push to exempt churches from having to perform same sex marriages, if they are legalised, may be welcomed by some but it is clear from the global experience that any such sentiments, legislated, codified or otherwise, will not withstand the ongoing march of Christophobia that is occurring throughout the West.

Gay by choice?
Chuck Colson – Christian Post

For years we have been told that homosexuality is something people are born with – like the color of one’s skin – and that it can’t be changed. Gay-rights activists insist this is so, because, they say, if people don’t choose to be gay, it would be wrong to discriminate against them in things like marriage, adoption, and legal benefits. And heaven help those who disagree. Just ask actress Cynthia Nixon, who in a recent New York Times Magazine article, had the gall to admit that she chose to be gay.

Vandals attack church over same-sex marriage message
Amy Edwards – Newcastle Herald

Vandals attacked Wallsend Presbyterian Church last night in response to a message criticising same-sex marriage displayed on the building’s outside notice board. The church on Nelson Street had updated its message board last week to read “Even tradies know you need both male and female joints to make a marriage”. The front of the 1867 building, which recently received a $12,000 makeover, was defaced with messages such as ‘‘sexuality is not a choice’’ and ‘‘love thy neighbour not hate gays’’.

Ross Clifford elected president of NSW Council of Churches, reiterate stance on same-sex marriage, alcohol and gambling
Clayton Hinds – Christian Today

Rev Dr Ross Clifford AM has been elected President of the NSW Council of Churches http://www.nswchurches.org/ for a second non-consecutive term. Dr Clifford is noted for his astute political skills and wasted no time in declaring that the NSW Council of Churches would continue to be an important player in NSW public life. “The Council has an important role to play in NSW public life and the prophetic voice of the churches is needed more than ever before,” said Dr Clifford.

Polyamorists defend parade spot
Matt Akersten – Same Same

This year’s Sydney Mardi Gras theme is universal and infinite love – but with a politically-charged parade helping to promote marriage equality, is a group endorsing polyamorous relationships still allowed in? This week the Sydney Polyamory group was concerned that Mardi Gras had gone too conservative as Australia’s gay marriage battle heightens, and would now no longer endorse the idea that relationships involving more than two people can be natural and ethical. Polyamorists have universally supported the equal marriage issue.

Politics
Gillard used polling to trigger coup
Peter Hartcher, Phillip Coorey – SMH

In the days before challenging Kevin Rudd for the prime ministership, Julia Gillard personally handed to her Labor colleagues copies of secret internal polling designed to undermine his leadership. Labor MPs told Fairfax that Ms Gillard used the polling as part of an effort to persuade them to support her for the prime ministership. The revelation casts fresh doubt on Ms Gillard’s protestations that she was a reluctant challenger who decided to move against her leader only at the last minute – on the day she openly declared herself.

Religious Freedom & Persecution
Baroness Warsi We need to defend Christianity
Alison Little – Express

Europe must be “more confident in its Christianity” and stop “suppressing” its heritage for fear of discriminating against minority religions, a Government minister will say today. Leading a historic delegation to the Vatican to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Britain and the Holy See, Baroness Warsi, a Muslim, will warn against downgrading faith.

Refugees
Take heat out of boat arrivals debate: UN
Isabel Hayes – SMH

The debate on boat arrivals to Australia needs to be much calmer and a lot less polarised, the head of the UN’s refugee agency says. Australia’s intake of 6000 asylum seekers a year is not a big problem compared to the intake of other countries, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, told the Lowy Institute in Sydney on Tuesday.

Other
Santorum, Romney in dead heat: polls
SBS

US Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum are in a dead heat following the latter’s sweep of three state nomination votes last week, according to two national polls. A Pew Research Center poll carried out February 8-12 found that Santorum, a Christian conservative and former senator, had surged to the forefront with 30 percent compared to former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney at 28 percent.

Santorum, Occupy Tacoma and same sex marriage bill clash in Washington
The State Column

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum was confronted by Occupy Tacoma protesters in the state of Washington Monday, the same day that Washington Governor Christine Gregoire signed a same sex marriage bill into law, The Associated Press reports. The former senator has stated that he is staunchly opposed to same sex marriage laws throughout his campaign.

$3.1m Parliament House website a year late
Ben Grubb – SMH

A “major breach” of Australia’s Parliament House computer network partly contributed to a $600,000 cost blowout and 12-month delay in constructing the newly designed parliament website which is due to launch to the public this Friday evening. The figure and breach was revealed in senate estimates yesterday by parliamentary librarian Roxanne Missingham and President of the Senate John Hogg, who reported that the total cost of the new aph.gov.au site, which was meant to go live February 2011, had so far come to about $3.1 million.

Nigel Rooke on the Political Spot

Katherine Spackman, PR Officer — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 02:41:19 +0000

Nigel Rooke is the CEO of Open Doors Australia. He spoke to the ACL’s Katherine Spackman about the 2012 World Watch List that’s just been released detailing the top 50 countries where persecution of Christians for religious reasons is worst.

Ian Wright on the Political Spot

Katherine Spackman, PR Officer — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 02:39:12 +0000

Ian Wright is the CEO of Barnabas Fund. He spoke to the ACL’s Katherine Spackman about Barnabas Fund’s campaign “Proclaim Freedom” and its petition to raise the profile of persecuted Christians around the world.

Wendy Francis on the Political Spot

Katherine Spackman, PR Officer — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 02:34:22 +0000

Wendy Francis is the Queensland State Director of the Australian Christian Lobby. She spoke to the ACL’s Katherine Spackman about last week’s Make It Count forum in Queensland with the LNP’s Campbell Newman. The ACL invited the Premier and Deputy Premier to the event to address Christians, but both declined. Click here to listen.

Pick of the news – Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Admin — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:38:42 +0000

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.

Abortion
Androids new voice assistant seems to be a pro-life Bible quoting creationist
Jesus Diaz – Gizmodo

I‘m sure Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos doesn’t know about this, but he’s funding a seemingly Christian extremist search engine that is anti-abortion, anti-evolution, racist and even thinks that rape may be justifiable. It’s called ChaCha, and it powers Android’s most popular Siri competitor, Iris. Like Siri before, Iris is now being accused of being anti-abortion. But while Siri’s anti-abortion stand proved to be a technical problem caused by its beta status, Iris seems truly and openly anti-abortion.

Classification
You can’t read this book: Censorship in an age of freedom by Nick Cohen – review
Denis MacShane – The Observer

One of the comforting myths of our times is that we have seen a massive expansion of freedom of expression. Perhaps a price has been paid in the explosion of inequalities between and within nations and in religious wars harking back to the 17th century. But, what the heck, these are regrettable side-effects of a much freer, better informed world. Twitter and Facebook, together with fearless journalists and human rights lawyers, have massively expanded the boundaries of freedom, so the argument runs. Look at Iran, Egypt, Libya or China. Surely social media and the inventors of Google and Wikipedia have dumped the censor in the dustbin of history. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Drugs & Alcohol
Pregnant women still drinking
Cathy O’Leary – SMH

Health researchers say more needs to be done to warn pregnant women not to drink alcohol, as new figures show one in five continue to drink even once they find out they are having a baby. A study of data from the 2011 National Drug Strategy Household Survey shows pregnant women over age 35 are ignoring warnings about associated health risks.

Drugs, cash seized
Callan Lawrence – Blacktown Sun

A drug bust by Blacktown detectives last week may be linked to a $25 million haul of heroin and ice, as well as $300,000 in cash and guns. The operation to break the drug syndicate gained momentum on Tuesday when police stopped a car in Brussels Crescent, Rooty Hill, and say the male driver, 42, was in possession of two grams of the drug ice.

Human Rights
Burma: CSW returns from Kachin State with evidence of continuing grave human rights violations
Dan Wooding – ASSIST Ministries

A team from Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) returned this week from a three-week fact-finding visit to Rangoon and Kachin State on the China-Burma border, where the CSW team recorded evidence of grave human rights violations. CSW told the ASSIST News Service that its team interviewed internally displaced people (IDPs) from Kachin State and northern Shan State, and heard first-hand testimonies of killings of civilians, torture, the destruction of homes, churches and villages. CSW also received reports of rape.

Marriage
Gay marriage bills make their ill-fated debut
Jessica Wright – SMH

Two separate private member’s bills to legalise same-sex marriage will be introduced today in a historic move for the gay rights movement. Labor backbencher Stephen Jones will present his bill to legalise gay marriage while Greens MP Adam Bandt and Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie will sponsor a second bill. Mr Wilkie’s bill, however, carries a caveat that religious ministers will not be obliged to perform same-sex ceremonies.

PM praised for help in planning passage of same-sex marriage bill
Dan Harrison, Tim Lester, Josephine Tovey – SMH

As federal Parliament considers three separate bills to legalise gay marriage, the Labor backbencher behind one of them has revealed the Prime Minister’s role in getting his bill to the floor of Parliament. Stephen Jones yesterday introduced a private member’s bill to allow same-sex couples to marry, just moments after the Greens MP Adam Bandt introduced a similar bill, which is being co-sponsored by the independent Andrew Wilkie.

Valentine’s means marriage for 200 in NSW
NineNews

At least 100 couples are expected to create a Valentine’s Day they’ll remember, by saying “I do” in ceremonies across NSW on Tuesday. The NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages estimates that more than 200 people will marry in NSW on February 14. Thirty-five of those couples will wed at the state’s registry offices, with 19 choosing to tie the knot on Tuesday at the Sydney office in Chippendale, according to NSW Registrar Greg Curry. “Valentine’s Day is busy here at the registry with so many couples getting married,” Mr Curry said in a statement.

Poster couple for gay rights divorcing
Irene Moore and Cary Berglund – NBC Bay Area News

When gay couples first sought the right to legally wed in California, they argued that they were entitled to all of the benefits of marital bliss. It was only a matter of time before that benefit extended to the right to split up. Even as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found California’s ban on gay marriage unconstitutional Tuesday, one of the state’s first gay couples to tie the knot was calling it quits.

Wallsend church expresses opposition to same-sex marriage
Newcastle Herald

At the same time bills to legalise same-sex marriage were introduced in Federal Parliament yesterday a church in Wallsend was expressing its opposition. Wallsend Presbyterian Church on Nelson Street updated its message board last week and session clerk Doug Smiley confirmed it was in response to the proposed legislation. The message displayed read, ‘‘Even tradies know you need both male and female joints to make a marriage’’.

Overseas Aid
Chaos rules as aid floods into freezing Afghan refugee camps
Rod Nordland – SMH

The 6000 refugees living in the Charahi Qambar camp did not object when US soldiers came by on Saturday to deliver 1100 blankets for the families there. Nor did they mention that the day before, an Afghan aid group, Aschiana, had also made a delivery of blankets, and was planning to come back with clothing – at least the third such donation in a few days, the others coming from businessmen.

Politics
Newspoll has Tony Abbott back in lead as Labor splits grow
Dennis Shanahan – The Australian

Tony Abbott has again overtaken Julia Gillard as preferred prime minister as the Coalition continues to dominate a federal Labor Party distracted by leadership divisions. Voter satisfaction with the Opposition Leader has risen in the past two weeks, with Mr Abbott’s personal position the best it has been since October. The Prime Minister’s standing has sunk to its lowest level since November – before the positive impact for the Gillard government of the visits of the Queen and US President Barack Obama.

Julia Gillard jumped the gun before kevin Rudd was knifed
Phillip Hudson – Herald Sun

Julia Gillard’s staff were working on a “victory speech” two weeks before she toppled Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister. But Ms Gillard insists she did not ask for the speech to be written and did not make the decision to challenge her leader until the day it happened. New claims have also emerged that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton demanded a meeting with Washington Ambassador Kim Beazley a fortnight before the coup, seeking assurances that a change of PM would not be bad for America.

Prostitution & Sex Trafficking
Sex workers who will ‘do anything’ blamed for syphilis outbreak in Mount Isa
Townsville Bulletin

Mount Isa’s booming illegal prostitution trade has been blamed for an outbreak of syphilis in the northwestern mining town. The State Government on Sunday launched an education campaign in northwest communities to raise awareness about the curable sexually transmissible infection and encourage residents to have regular testing. Five cases of syphilis have been reported in the Mount Isa Health Service District already this year. There were 16 cases in the region in 2010 and more than 80 cases in 2011.

Religious Freedom & Persecution
Nigeria: Forces infiltrated by Boko Haram, Jonathan almost left hopeless
Emmanuel Mayah – All Africa

Travelling the 700-kilometre-route from Baga to Kano is a death wish. Since the first Boko Haram bomb went off in Maiduguri last year, fish traders from the Lake Chad region of Chad Republic have seen enough human parts on the streets and now avoid northern Nigerian markets like a plague. Such is the handiwork of the Boko Haram. Cities like Damaturu, Potiskum, Kano, Bauchi, Jos and Katsina are also crawling with Muslim extremists and their sympathisers, some of them in the police and the other armed forces. In January a Mitsubishi bus with six Christian passengers fleeing the carnage in Maiduguri took the chance of refuelling at Potiskum. Hardly had the attendant started the pump than some men on motorbikes, armed with AK 47, pulled in. They shot dead the travellers, including a woman and a baby. Such horrific massacres hardly make the headlines anymore in today’s Nigeria: they are eclipsed by even more macabre killings as Boko Haram jihadists mix sadism with showmanship. Newspapers headlines are literally in red.

Refugees
Tough laws on people smuggling are a con
Michael Duffy – SMH

Occasionally I spend a day wandering from trial to trial in the Downing Centre, Sydney’s giant justice factory. It’s one way of keeping in touch with certain aspects of the city. A while ago I began to notice small dark men in the dock, always with an interpreter. These are the crew from the Indonesian boats that carry asylum seekers to our shores, charged with people smuggling and farmed out by the Commonwealth to the states for justice. There are lots of them: as of last September, almost 200 had been convicted and another 251 were due before the courts.

Sexualisation of Society
Online shopping trend for Valentines? Sex toys, sex dolls as gifts
Christine Gaylican – IB Times

Online shopping trend these days saw a rise in purchases of sex dolls and sex toys, according to site Alibaba.com. In a statement, the buyers and suppliers website Alibaba.com said the site has been swamped with enquiries for sex dolls, vibrators and dildos in the months leading up to Valentine’s Day, with searches for plastic partners alone increasing by 240 per cent year on year.

Other
Carers prey on vulnerable children and the disabled
Peter Mickelburough – Herald Sun

Vulnerable children and the disabled are being assaulted or sexually attacked by their carers and case workers almost daily. Records obtained by the Herald Sun reveal for the first time the shocking toll of misery perpetrated by people whose role is to protect the state’s most defenceless and fragile. More than two Department of Human Services clients are attacked every day on average, with almost 1800 assaults, sex attacks or rape allegations reported in 30 months to July last year. In more than 500 cases state-appointed staff and carers were accused.

Christians join tributes to Whitney Houston
Christian Today

Christians were today joining the world in paying tribute to Whitney Houston. Houston’s untimely death at the age of 48 has come as a shock to the music world and those close to her. Her godmother, soul singer Aretha Franklin, said it was “stunning and unbelievable”. Music mogul Simon Cowell said Houston had “one of the greatest voices I have ever heard in my life, ever” Civil rights campaigner the Rev Al Sharpton led prayers for the singer during today’s Sunday service at the Second Baptist Church, in Los Angeles.

St Barnabas, the famous Sydney church set to make return after fire
Vikki Campion Urban – The Daily Telegraph

For decades a little neon golfer on Elizabeth St never missed, Eternity was chalked on footpaths, while the pub and the pastor on Broadway sent witty quips back and forth. But while some of Sydney’s most well-known images, objects and landmarks are lost forever to history, one is making a return.

Pick of the news – Monday, February 13, 2012

Admin — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:51:05 +0000

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.

Charities & NFP
Spotlight on dodgy charities
Helen Pow – The Sunday Telegraph

Charities will be banned from making house calls in the evenings and on Sundays, and workers will have to wear name badges, so any dodgy dealings can be traced back under new fundraising proposals. In a widespread overhaul of current charity regulations, bringing states and territory rules into line, organisations will have to disclose how they spend donations and those found to be using the cash inappropriately will be banned from asking donors for money.

Children & Family
Drunk, drugged children rounded up in Sydney
SMH

A 14-year-old boy found drunk and drug-affected at Sydney’s central station was one of 13 children detained by police in the inner city overnight. The boy’s carer thought he was in bed asleep. Nine boys and four girls, mostly aged 14 or 15, were picked up by police on Oxford Street, George Street and around Cental Railway Station because they were unsupervised, intoxicated, under the influence of drugs or in situations that put them at risk. But when police phoned their parents, not one of them came in from the suburbs to collect their child.

Conviction rates continue to rise
Jilienanne Strachan – The Canberra Times

ACT police have been praised for adopting a ”pro-arrest pro-charge” approach to domestic violence in recent years, leading to improved results in court case outcomes. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Library background paper titled Domestic Violence in Australia – An Overview of the Issues said that there had been substantial increases in the arrest rate for domestic violence, from 6 per cent in 1993 to 30 per cent in 2003-04. ”The ACT Family Violence Intervention Program (FVIP) is a proactive, multi-agency approach to family violence in the ACT,” it said.

The heartache of family rifts
Cowra Community News

About one in 25 Australian adults have cut off contact with a family member, says a researcher studying the effects of estrangement. Kylie Agllias from the University of Newcastle says her research suggests that around 4 per cent of adults have stopped contact with at least one family member for months or years. “I think that’s a conservative estimate. There is very little research into this topic,” Dr Agllias has told Sydney media.

Donor Conception & Surrogacy
China’s Octomom highlights a booming surrogacy business
Michael Cook – BioEdge

These babies are allegedly the children of one wealthy couple in Guangzhou. The wife had twins and two surrogate mothers each had triplets. Although the story made national headlines in China late last year, the couple has not been identified – with good reason, for gestational surrogacy is illegal there. However, the “eight baby scandal” has highlighted the increasing popularity of the black market surrogacy in China. This is the lunar year of the Dragon, which is said to be an auspicious year for births, as the mythical being is associated with power and intelligence.

Drugs & Alcohol
Police to work with DoCs on drunk kids found in inner Sydney
AAP

The Department of Community Services (DoCS) has been informed about several children who police found drunk and drug affected in Sydney. A 14-year-old boy under the influence of drink and drugs was among 13 children detained by police in the inner city overnight. The boy’s carer thought he was in bed asleep.

Education
Education funding may get shake-up
Samantha Maiden – Adelaide Now

Parents will learn how much money the states are spending directly on students under proposed reforms. The Sunday Mail can reveal the long-awaited Gonski report, led by businessman David Gonski, suggests the Government boosts funding for struggling public and private schools. In what is expected to lead to the biggest shake-up of public and private school funding in decades, the report calls for the Commonwealth to force the states to publish a more detailed breakdown of how much money is being spent inside the school gate – or miss out on additional funding.

Gambling
Pokies loyalty rewards plan ‘encourages gambling’
Farrah Tomazin – The Age

Gambling addicts could get loyalty rewards or ”cashless gaming” incentives to entice them to use the state government’s pre-commitment pokies scheme when it is rolled out by 2016. The government is considering the idea as it works out how to encourage people to take up voluntary pre-commitment, under which players can set limits on how much they are prepared to lose and how long they want to play. Critics say not enough gamblers will use the technology to make it effective.

Marriage
Free vote on same-sex marriage for Lib back bench
Christian Kerr – The Australian

Liberal backbenchers will be free to support same-sex marriage legislation when it comes before the parliament later in the year. While the opposition front bench will be bound by the policy the Coalition has taken to the last two polls not to change the Marriage Act, The Australian understands others will be free to back the bill. Senior Liberals said Tony Abbott had privately conceded some Liberals wanted to vote for marriage equality. “He seems to be quite relaxed at backbenchers exercising their will if they so choose,” one said yesterday.

Two gay marriage bills to enter Parliament
ABC

Two private members bills aimed at legalising gay marriage are due to be introduced into Federal Parliament today. Labor MP Stephen Jones signalled he would introduce a private members bill to legalise gay marriage at the ALP’s conference in December. But late last week Greens MP Adam Bandt and Tasmanian independent MP Andrew Wilkie indicated they would put forward another bill designed to achieve the same outcome.

Much have I loved thee
Babette Francis – Mercator Net

So you thought I was joking when I wrote last year in MercatorNet that the Australian Human Rights Commission had recognized 23 genders. Well I underestimated the number of eligible genders because people are now marrying buildings. You probably thought I was joking too when I mentioned the start of this new style of marriage with the case of the woman who married the Berlin Wall and was devastated when the Wall came down and her husband was destroyed. Seriously, I think such marriages have great possibilities.

Religious Freedom & Persecution
Muslim persecution of Christians: January 2012
Raymond Ibrahim Bio – Front Page

The beginning of the New Year saw only an increase in the oppression of Christians under Islam, from Nigeria, where an all-out jihad has been declared in an effort to eradicate the Muslim north of all Christians, to Europe, where Muslim converts to Christianity are still hounded and attacked as apostates. According to the Chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, “The flight of Christians out of the region is unprecedented and it’s increasing year by year”; in our life time alone, he predicts “Christians might disappear altogether from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Egypt.”

Young Christian man murdered outside Mogadishu
Christian News Today

Islamic extremists from the rebel al Shabaab militia in Somalia beheaded a Christian on the outskirts of Mogadishu last month, sources said. The militants fighting the transitional government in Mogadishu murdered Zakaria Hussein Omar, 26, on Jan. 2 in Cee-carfiid village, about 15 kilometres outside of the Somali capital, they said. Omar had worked for a Christian humanitarian organization that al Shabaab banned last year.

Syrian Christians fear genocide if al-Assad falls to Muslim extremists
Bruce Walker – New American

Catholic bishops are warning that if the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria falls to Islamists, there may well be a mass genocide of Christians, such as seen in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein. Though Christians cannot support the brutality of the Assad dictatorship, few believe that rule by Muslim extremists will be any better. Syria — home to Damascus, one of the most important cities of the ancient world and of special religious significance to Christians — has long had a tolerant attitude toward religious minorities. Syria’s Christians — estimated to be about 10 percent of the population, or 2.5 million — cherish this tradition of non-religious government.

Refugees
People-smugglers’ scare tactic over political shutdown
Paul Maley – The Australian

People-smugglers are exploiting the political deadlock over border security policy by running a “closing down sale” and encouraging asylum-seekers to get to Australia while the door remains open. Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare said smuggling syndicates knew that offshore processing had the potential to shut down the lucrative trade to Australia and they were seeking to capitalise on the failure of the major parties to reinstate it. “The intelligence that we’re getting indicates that people-smugglers are telling people there’s a ‘closing down sale’ on,” Mr Clare told The Australian yesterday.

Sexualisation of Society
Teachers urged to address porn factor
Denise Ryan – SMH

Explicit online imagery is now the basis of sex education for many teens. Sarah, 18, was shocked by her first sexual experience. Her partner, who had seemed like a nice guy, treated her roughly and disrespectfully. She had not consented to some of what happened and did not enjoy it. In high school sex education classes, Sarah had learnt about contraception and sexually transmitted infections. There was also some discussion about intimacy and relationships, but nothing to warn her of a disturbing new trend: many young men are watching pornography and then replicating some of the aggressive behaviour they observe with their sexual partners.

Other
Santorum’s surge means new strategy for Romney
Kasie Hunt – Associated Press

Staggered by Rick Santorum’s surge, Mitt Romney is trying to reset his presidential campaign by defining himself as a strict conservative. The former Massachusetts governor had focused on his business credentials and played down his ideology, four years after he failed in his attempt to win the GOP nomination by running as a social conservative.

Geelong porn teacher’s horny herbs store
Hamish Heard – Herald Sun

The Geelong teacher on leave after filming an online pornographic movie with a former student is selling sex herbs and legal “smoking alternatives” in the city’s main street. The man and his 23-year-old former student, who is now his live-in girlfriend, opened a shop called Happy High Herbs three weeks ago, with a brochure promoting “horny herbs” and “smoke for relaxation”.

Pick of the news – Saturday, February 11, 2012

Admin — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:05:56 +0000

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.

Marriage
There’s no such thing as a good divorce: the kids always suffer
Adele Horin – SMH

Even a ”good” divorce may not protect children from the fall-out of a marriage breakdown. A new study questions the concept of the ”good divorce”, a term popularised in the 1990s to describe a break-up in which the parents are co-operative, the children remain close to both and emerge, apparently, unscathed. ”Creating a positive post-divorce family environment, although worthwhile, is no guarantee that children will be unharmed by marital dissolution,” said Paul Amato, the lead author and professor of sociology at Pennsylvania State University.

Poly conflict resolved
Star Observer

Sydney’s polyamorous community claims it has resolved a conflict with organisers of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras over its Parade entry. Polyamory Australia allege Mardi Gras organisers were initially resistant to allowing them to march in the parade as a ‘queer’ group, instead relegating them to a ‘supporter’ entry. The group said as a result Mardi Gras put restrictions on the type of slogans they could display at the event. “For many polyamorists, it was particularly offensive because the parade’s slogan is ‘infinite love for all’, and the logo is a pair of hearts arranged to form an infinity symbol,” Polyamory Australia said in a statement.

Other
Newspaper ABCs: SMH drops 12%, rival accuses Fairfax of “abandoning” print
Mumbrella

The Sydney Morning Herald was the biggest major casualty in the latest round of figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulations, losing 12% of its weekday circulation in a year. In another difficult period that saw newspaper circulations atrophy by 4% overall, the Fairfax title’s circulation fell from 209,644 to 184,613 between December 2010 and December 2011.

Abortion

http://www.htrnews.com/usatoday/article/38547139?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

TOPEKA, Kan. (WTW) — An influential anti-abortion legislator is blocking the push for a ban on abortion in the Kansas Constitution, highlighting a split among abortion opponents over tactics and frustrating the group advocating the “personhood” proposal Friday.

http://www.chron.com/news/article/2-Texas-abortion-clinics-fined-for-fetus-disposal-3241771.php

McALLEN, Texas (AP) — Two Texas women’s health clinics and an Illinois waste disposal company will have to pay fines after state environmental officials concluded they improperly disposed of fetuses in a landfill.

http://biggovernment.com/publius/2012/02/10/wh-caves-obama-to-announce-compromise-on-birth-control-abortion-pill-mandate/

WASHINGTON (AP) – Rushing to end a political uproar, President BarackObama on Friday will announce that religious employers will not have to coverbirth control for their employees after all, The Associated Press has learned. The administration instead will demand that insurance companies will be the ones directly responsible for providing free contraception.

Children & Family
http://www.kztv10.com/news/parents-fight-to-retain-rights-over-surviving-children/

ROCKPORT – A couple convicted on charges related to the death of their 18-month old son were back in an Aransas County courtroom today fighting to maintain parental rights over their four other children.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/relationship-abuse-rife-in-queensland-study-20120210-1sfy0.html

A damning new study has found 33 per cent of Queensland women in relationships were psychologically or economically abused by their partners, while 13.1 per cent suffered physical, including sexual, abuse.

Donor Conception & Surrogacy
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/02/do-mothers-matter/252676/

Do mothers matter? Having no mother was — at least until recently — widely agreed to be a tragedy. Psychiatric case studies, Disney movies, and well-known spirituals such as “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child” have testified to the importance of mothers and the pain of mother loss. But such views have not meant that every child has lived in a society that affirms the importance of the child’s bond with his or her mother. Children have been denied their mothers because of class biases (see, poor); racial and ethnic biases (Indian, Aborigine); as part of severe civil conflict (Argentina, Dirty War); amid widespread, institutionalized human rights abuses (slavery); or because their mothers were rightly or wrongly perceived to be unfit (see: history of adoption, good, bad, and ugly).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/08/china-surrogate-mothers-year-dragon?newsfeed=true

Two years after giving away the baby boy she’d carried for nine months, Gao cries less. His new mum treats him well, and she finds comfort in the smiling family photos uploaded online. Besides, she has her own biological seven-year-old to care for – and she’s busy searching for another infertile couple seeking a womb.

Euthanasia
http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/9924

Six euthanasia flying squads of a doctor and a nurse will begin making house calls in the Netherlands on March 1. The teams will visit people who want to end their lives but whose wishes have been thwarted by another doctor who refuses to take their request seriously or who is simply unwilling to do it.

http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/self-help-film-gives-instructions-euthanasia

“When you are ready, put the bag over your head. Then slowly open the helium valve.” An instruction film made by Dutch psychiatrist Boudewijn Chabot explains how someone can kill themselves using a roasting bag and two tanks of helium. Self-help methods are becoming less of a taboo.

Indigenous
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/suicide-among-children-as-young-as-11-at-alarming-levels-20120210-1smh0.html

GIRLS as young as 11 are committing suicide at an unprecedented rate in Northern Territory indigenous communities where family violence is rife.

Marriage
http://www.smh.com.au/world/gay-poster-girl-spouses-to-divorce-20120210-1slao.html#ixzz1m1fhcIUA

The California poster couple for lesbian and gay marriage want to dissolve their wedding vows. When federal appellate court judges ruled California’s ban on gay marriage unconstitutional, Robin Tyler and Diane Olson had already filed for divorce.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/teenage-gilrs-forced-to-marry/story-fn59niix-1226268221131

AUSTRALIAN girls as young as 13 are being forced into marriages with older men they have never met, who live abroad and to whom they may already be related. The Weekend Australian Magazine today examines four cases in which Australian girls alerted their teachers or the Australian Federal Police to the fact they were being sent abroad by their parents for the purpose of marriage.

Politics
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/national/national/general/a-little-less-a-chatter-as-sorry-day-passes/2451856.aspx

The anniversary of Sorry Day was beset by Labor Party leadership speculation yesterday as Julia Gillard moved to gag her ministers. The Prime Minister has reportedly ordered senior members of her team not to talk to newspaper editors about Kevin Rudd’s ambitions to return to the prime ministership.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/parties-torching-electoral-foreigners/story-fnbt5t29-1226267222157

Just a week after Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd labelled Campbell Newman a “foreigner” because he lives outside the key Ashgrove seat, the LNP Leader again was defending his team against similar accusations. Labor yesterday admitted 27 of its 89 candidates lived beyond their electorate boundaries while the LNP remained tight-lipped despite having preselected all but two candidates.

http://www.cio.com.au/article/415004/greens_back_flexible_work_hours/

Unions and individual workers would be able to bargain with employers over flexible work hours for parenting and caring for family members, under a bill being brought to parliament by the Australian Greens. Greens MP Adam Bandt said research had shown Australians rank at the top of western nations in terms of working hours per week – an average of 44 hours for full-time workers – and most would like to work at least five hours less per week.

Religious Freedom & Persecution
http://dailycaller.com/2012/02/10/pro-lifers-pan-obama-contraceptive-adjustment-still-attacking-religious-freedom/

In the wake of an uproar over the Obama administration’s new mandate that all employers offer health insurance covering contraception — including religious organizations — the White House offered an “accommodation” to religious groups whose belief systems conflict with the government rule. But according to some initially opposed to the mandate, the adjustment to the rules is not enough.

http://www.thenewamerican.com/world-mainmenu-26/asia-mainmenu-33/10823-syrian-christians-fear-genocide-if-al-assad-falls-to-muslim-extremists

Catholic bishops are warning that if the Bashar al-Assad (left) regime in Syria falls to Islamists, there may well be a mass genocide of Christians, such as seen in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein. Though Christians cannot support the brutality of the Assad dictatorship, few believe that rule by Muslim extremists will be any better.

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2012/February/Fleeing-N-Korea-Persecuted-Christian-Starts-New-Life/

SEOUL, South Korea — Some North Koreans have been able to escape from the Communist country and its strict human rights violations. Kim Eun Jin is one of those survivors. The 31-year-old was born in Pyongyang, North Korea. She was part of the nation’s secret underground church, and her story has never been told until now.

Refugees
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hearPKHItu37O6wQOdV5dZUpIbbA?docId=CNG.96a7b5fbe4f5da204d5e094764d857cf.51

GENEVA — The UN refugee agency said on Friday it needs $145 million (110 million euros) in extra funds to help thousands fleeing fighting in Sudan’s Blue Nile and South Kordofan states. The sum would cover the basic needs of up to 185,000 Sudanese people who are continuing to flock to Ethiopia and South Sudan, UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/10/us-china-myanmar-refugees-idUSTRE8190JB20120210

(Reuters) – In an obscure part of southwest China, a refugee crisis from one of the world’s longest running and least known conflicts in Myanmar is slowly unfolding, largely ignored by the outside world and denied by China. Thousands of refugees bringing tales of rape and violence have flooded across the border into China, fleeing fighting between Myanmar government troops and ethnic minority Kachin rebels.