Only a few days out from the election and Labor has still not responded to our questionnaire on behalf of its candidates.
Do they have something to hide?
Given the list of radical social policies passed at last year’s ALP State Conference I believe they would have good reason to want to keep them under wraps.
Before we delve into the policies we must understand something important: ALP motions passed at State Conferences automatically become party platform (goals) or official party policy.
The ALP Secretary Stuart Benson confirms this: “Labor’s platforms and policy do not become official until debated and voted on at the conference.”
So, with that in mind, take a look at what was passed (with overwhelming support) at last year’s conference:
- Decriminalisation of prostitution
- Decriminalisation of small volume use and possession of illicit drugs
- Legalising euthanasia without a conscience vote being offered to Labor MP’s
- State funding of the controversial Safe Schools Programme
- Establishment of a so-called ‘Equality’ portfolio
- Progressing a Charter of Rights
You could be forgiven for thinking they have been copied from the Greens Party platform.
While most of these changes are arguably motivated by good intentions, their practical outworking, as observed in jurisdictions that have legislated this way, has generally seen society worse off as a result.
Clearly, we don’t know all the details on these policies – but in a way that makes them all the more concerning.
Decriminalising of prostitution – Legalising brothels actually leads to more illegal brothels, and with them sex-trafficking and associated criminal activity. Just ask Queensland or Victoria.
Decriminalising drugs – sends a confusing message to vulnerable young people about the harm that drugs bring to individuals, their families and the community.
Legalising euthanasia – puts the vulnerable at risk. Not allowing a conscience vote on a life and death issue is an incredibly dangerous precedent to set.
Reintroducing Safe Schools – After what has been exposed about this program it should not even be advocated, let alone tax-payer funded.
An Equality Portfolio – this could see a whole government office of ‘all discrimination is bad’ types harassing those seeking to exercise their fundamental freedoms.
A Charter of Rights empowers non-elected judges -not our elected parliamentarians – to have the final say on all public policy – very concerning.
In the ACL’s view, the ALP’s six dangerous social policies need to be weighed up against its one commendable pokies policy.
When you add to these six the recent ALP promise to make abortions ‘mainstream’ in public hospitals, it would be difficult for Christians, and those concerned for the welfare of Tasmanians, to see this social policy balance as being anything but weighed heavily in the wrong direction.
Further reading:
