Senate’s donor conception report highlights issues ignored in gay marriage debate
MEDIA RELEASE
For release: Thursday 10th February 2011
The release of a Senate report into the plight of donor conceived children raises serious issues about kids’ rights in the context of the gay marriage debate, according to the Australian Christian Lobby.
“Arguments by some Australian proponents of same-sex marriage that donor-conceived children being raised by homosexual couples could be denied access to their biological parents flies in the face of the Senate’s unanimous recommendation that there be a prohibition on donor anonymity,” Australian Christian Lobby Managing Director Jim Wallace said.
Overseas, Sir Elton John and his homosexual partner David Furnish have indicated their son will be denied knowledge of his genetic mother. (see article Who's the daddy? It could be either of us, says Elton John)
An Australian lesbian couple quoted recently in a national newspaper said the father of their son, whose sperm was selected after an online search of US donors, might never have his dad’s identity revealed to him.
The Senate recommended there be a ban on sourcing donor material from overseas. In its submission to the Senate Inquiry, the donor conception support group Tangled Webs said: “The desire to provide children for infertile couples does not override the child’s need for and right to this vital relationship with his or her genetic parents”.
Mr Wallace said the very slick campaign being run by gay activists about ‘equal love’ was ignoring the rights of children to experience the love of their biological parents.
“The equal love in marriage is not just two way – it is, in normal instances, across the biological links between parents and children.
There are many ethical dilemmas and consequences for children and society that are not being discussed in the gay lobby’s push to change the meaning of marriage.
“Part of the reason for this is the intimidation and attacks on forums for debate such as On Line Opinion which is now no longer covering the gay marriage debate after it was aggressively targeted by gay activists for publishing an article defending heterosexual marriage.
“Mr Wallace said ANZ bank and IBM are yet to explain why they acquiesced to the anti-free speech tactics of the gay lobby to withdraw their advertising from On Line Opinion.
“This has doubtless buoyed the homosexual activists, who now with ever increasing arrogance and clearly now seeing themselves above public reproach, have today claimed wrongly that IBM and ANZ withdrew their advertising because On Line Opinion’s article ‘called for homosexuals to be murdered in light of the same-sex marriage debate’,” Mr Wallace said. Click here for the link
The Senate Report can be found here.
For release: Thursday 10th February 2011
The release of a Senate report into the plight of donor conceived children raises serious issues about kids’ rights in the context of the gay marriage debate, according to the Australian Christian Lobby.
“Arguments by some Australian proponents of same-sex marriage that donor-conceived children being raised by homosexual couples could be denied access to their biological parents flies in the face of the Senate’s unanimous recommendation that there be a prohibition on donor anonymity,” Australian Christian Lobby Managing Director Jim Wallace said.
Overseas, Sir Elton John and his homosexual partner David Furnish have indicated their son will be denied knowledge of his genetic mother. (see article Who's the daddy? It could be either of us, says Elton John)
An Australian lesbian couple quoted recently in a national newspaper said the father of their son, whose sperm was selected after an online search of US donors, might never have his dad’s identity revealed to him.
The Senate recommended there be a ban on sourcing donor material from overseas. In its submission to the Senate Inquiry, the donor conception support group Tangled Webs said: “The desire to provide children for infertile couples does not override the child’s need for and right to this vital relationship with his or her genetic parents”.
Mr Wallace said the very slick campaign being run by gay activists about ‘equal love’ was ignoring the rights of children to experience the love of their biological parents.
“The equal love in marriage is not just two way – it is, in normal instances, across the biological links between parents and children.
There are many ethical dilemmas and consequences for children and society that are not being discussed in the gay lobby’s push to change the meaning of marriage.
“Part of the reason for this is the intimidation and attacks on forums for debate such as On Line Opinion which is now no longer covering the gay marriage debate after it was aggressively targeted by gay activists for publishing an article defending heterosexual marriage.
“Mr Wallace said ANZ bank and IBM are yet to explain why they acquiesced to the anti-free speech tactics of the gay lobby to withdraw their advertising from On Line Opinion.
“This has doubtless buoyed the homosexual activists, who now with ever increasing arrogance and clearly now seeing themselves above public reproach, have today claimed wrongly that IBM and ANZ withdrew their advertising because On Line Opinion’s article ‘called for homosexuals to be murdered in light of the same-sex marriage debate’,” Mr Wallace said. Click here for the link
The Senate Report can be found here.
New Tasmanian premier behind laws of concern to Christians
Tasmania’s new Premier Lara Giddings is the architect of a raft of proposed law changes of concern to Christians.
As Attorney General, she flagged surrogacy for same-sex couples, euthanasia, a charter of rights and legal brothels for Parliamentary debate this year.
Given these are also supported by the Greens, which share Government with Labor in Tasmania, ACL will be working hard to activate Christians to the injustices that stem from these agendas to children and other vulnerable members of society.
Ms Giddings replaces David Bartlett who stepped down to spend more time with his family.
ACL was disappointed last year when then Mr Barlett went back on his word and formed the minority government with the Greens after the March 2010 election. He had said on the 7.30 report: “Because a back room deal with the Greens is a deal with the devil, and I'm am - am not going to sell my soul for the sake of remaining in power.”
During ACL’s Make It Count forum before the 2010 election, Mr Bartlett had made a commitment to further examine the Swedish model for criminalising men for purchasing sex, rather than legalising brothels. The ACL hopes Ms Giddings will honour this commitment.
As Attorney General, she flagged surrogacy for same-sex couples, euthanasia, a charter of rights and legal brothels for Parliamentary debate this year.
Given these are also supported by the Greens, which share Government with Labor in Tasmania, ACL will be working hard to activate Christians to the injustices that stem from these agendas to children and other vulnerable members of society.
Ms Giddings replaces David Bartlett who stepped down to spend more time with his family.
ACL was disappointed last year when then Mr Barlett went back on his word and formed the minority government with the Greens after the March 2010 election. He had said on the 7.30 report: “Because a back room deal with the Greens is a deal with the devil, and I'm am - am not going to sell my soul for the sake of remaining in power.”
During ACL’s Make It Count forum before the 2010 election, Mr Bartlett had made a commitment to further examine the Swedish model for criminalising men for purchasing sex, rather than legalising brothels. The ACL hopes Ms Giddings will honour this commitment.
Jim Wallace challenges politicians to act with courage and integrity
Australian Christian Lobby managing director and retired Brigadier Jim Wallace has put out a call for courage and integrity in public office in a challenging lead article in the latest edition of Viewpoint magazine.
Addressing an issue too often ignored, Mr Wallace urges those taking part in the 43rd Federal Parliament to “set themselves the highest standards of courage and integrity and to commit to protect and demonstrate it, as is so essential in the highest leadership calling in the nation”.
At a time when the bedraggled NSW Government has been seething with scandal and others in the higher echelons of power have not kept their commitments on key policies, Mr Wallace warns of the need to guard against corruption, scandal and ‘backflips’.
He reminds politicians that “if charity begins at home, then so too does integrity”.
“There is a tendency today to view the private and public as separate, but this is a clear fallacy. A person’s private behaviour is very indicative of how we can expect them to carry themselves and act in public life,” he writes.
In his article, Mr Wallace examines the courage of people such as William Wilberforce and Martin Luther King and states: “Today it takes great courage to defend the rights of the unborn or the right of a child to a father and a mother against the powerful ideological agendas that would redefine family and life; just as it requires courage to honour foreign aid in the face of a global financial crisis or in supporting the rights of refugees.” The full text of Mr Wallace’s article can be read by clicking here.
Viewpoint magazine aims to inform and influence policy makers on issues of concern, particularly to the Christian constituency. It is published three times a year and goes out to all federal and state politicians, a growing subscriber base, and is sold in selected newsagencies around the nation.
Other issues covered in the just-released October 2010 edition include:
Problem Gambling: Independent Denison MP Andrew Wilkie has made a deal with the Gillard Govt to address problem gambling. Will these strategies work?
Fairtrade: Many Christian, and other ethically minded consumers, are switching to Fairtrade products. What is Fairtrade and does it make a difference?
Stem Cells: In 2006 the human cloning ban was overturned to allow embryonic stem cell research. Have any miracle cures resulted?
R18+ Video Games Debate: Australia currently bans R18+ video games. Should this ban remain?
For more information about Viewpoint or for subscriptions go to www.viewpointmagazine.com.au
Media Contact: Glynis Quinlan on 0408 875 979
Addressing an issue too often ignored, Mr Wallace urges those taking part in the 43rd Federal Parliament to “set themselves the highest standards of courage and integrity and to commit to protect and demonstrate it, as is so essential in the highest leadership calling in the nation”.
At a time when the bedraggled NSW Government has been seething with scandal and others in the higher echelons of power have not kept their commitments on key policies, Mr Wallace warns of the need to guard against corruption, scandal and ‘backflips’.
He reminds politicians that “if charity begins at home, then so too does integrity”.
“There is a tendency today to view the private and public as separate, but this is a clear fallacy. A person’s private behaviour is very indicative of how we can expect them to carry themselves and act in public life,” he writes.
In his article, Mr Wallace examines the courage of people such as William Wilberforce and Martin Luther King and states: “Today it takes great courage to defend the rights of the unborn or the right of a child to a father and a mother against the powerful ideological agendas that would redefine family and life; just as it requires courage to honour foreign aid in the face of a global financial crisis or in supporting the rights of refugees.” The full text of Mr Wallace’s article can be read by clicking here.
Viewpoint magazine aims to inform and influence policy makers on issues of concern, particularly to the Christian constituency. It is published three times a year and goes out to all federal and state politicians, a growing subscriber base, and is sold in selected newsagencies around the nation.
Other issues covered in the just-released October 2010 edition include:
Problem Gambling: Independent Denison MP Andrew Wilkie has made a deal with the Gillard Govt to address problem gambling. Will these strategies work?
Fairtrade: Many Christian, and other ethically minded consumers, are switching to Fairtrade products. What is Fairtrade and does it make a difference?
Stem Cells: In 2006 the human cloning ban was overturned to allow embryonic stem cell research. Have any miracle cures resulted?
R18+ Video Games Debate: Australia currently bans R18+ video games. Should this ban remain?
For more information about Viewpoint or for subscriptions go to www.viewpointmagazine.com.au
Media Contact: Glynis Quinlan on 0408 875 979
Jim Wallace daily election blog – Mon Aug 16
By Jim Wallace, ACL Managing Director
Despite the disillusionment by most people at the negativity of election advertising, both major parties have made announcements in the last 48 hours that benefit family and marriage.
Julia Gillard used her campaign launch to announce an increase in Family Tax Benefit Part A that is aimed at helping parents with the additional costs of teenage children living at home and still undergoing education. The change will effectively mean that families will receive an additional $4,000 per year for each teenager in education. She said that her aim was to encourage parents to be able to encourage teenagers to stay at school and improve their education, and is an initiative that should definitely help in that regard.
On the weekend the Opposition Shadow Minister for Families Housing and Human Services, the Hon Kevin Andrews, announced that the opposition would provide a $200 voucher for couples intending to marry for use on pre-marriage training or parenting courses. They hope it will increase the take up rate of available services which they believe will help to keep families together and children from being the victims of broken families. The announcement was made at the Marriage Coalition conference, an initiative of the AFA with other family groups.
In another shot at Greens policy, the Greens were criticised by an indigenous academic for policies inconsistent with indigenous advancement. Referring particularly to their support for Qld’s wild rivers legislation, which prevents indigenous owners developing aboriginal land on the Cape, The Australian noted: "Professor Langton said Australians who voted for the Greens because they believed they were the most sympathetic towards indigenous rights were mistaken. "The Greens party hasn't stood up on indigenous rights on the Wild Rivers Act. They either agree with indigenous rights or they don't," she said. "They can't say they are standing up on indigenous rights and support the denial of the right to economic development.""
Federal Labor was also supportive of the Qld legislation with only Tony Abbott committing to oppose it.
Family First’s Qld Senate Candidate Wendy Francis also had criticism for the Greens in committing to support the fishing industry and recreational fishing if elected. Referring to the fishing industry around Cairns in particular she said: "the Greens don’t care about them and the minor fishing parties are too small to realistically be able to do anything."
I am certainly sympathetic to the Greens position on both these issues from a stewardship point of view, but again, it is a matter of whether their policies are showing the necessary balance as their critics are highlighting.
An interesting day, but Labor may have won the last Monday of the election with an additional $4,000pa per teenager.
Despite the disillusionment by most people at the negativity of election advertising, both major parties have made announcements in the last 48 hours that benefit family and marriage.
Julia Gillard used her campaign launch to announce an increase in Family Tax Benefit Part A that is aimed at helping parents with the additional costs of teenage children living at home and still undergoing education. The change will effectively mean that families will receive an additional $4,000 per year for each teenager in education. She said that her aim was to encourage parents to be able to encourage teenagers to stay at school and improve their education, and is an initiative that should definitely help in that regard.
On the weekend the Opposition Shadow Minister for Families Housing and Human Services, the Hon Kevin Andrews, announced that the opposition would provide a $200 voucher for couples intending to marry for use on pre-marriage training or parenting courses. They hope it will increase the take up rate of available services which they believe will help to keep families together and children from being the victims of broken families. The announcement was made at the Marriage Coalition conference, an initiative of the AFA with other family groups.
In another shot at Greens policy, the Greens were criticised by an indigenous academic for policies inconsistent with indigenous advancement. Referring particularly to their support for Qld’s wild rivers legislation, which prevents indigenous owners developing aboriginal land on the Cape, The Australian noted: "Professor Langton said Australians who voted for the Greens because they believed they were the most sympathetic towards indigenous rights were mistaken. "The Greens party hasn't stood up on indigenous rights on the Wild Rivers Act. They either agree with indigenous rights or they don't," she said. "They can't say they are standing up on indigenous rights and support the denial of the right to economic development.""
Federal Labor was also supportive of the Qld legislation with only Tony Abbott committing to oppose it.
Family First’s Qld Senate Candidate Wendy Francis also had criticism for the Greens in committing to support the fishing industry and recreational fishing if elected. Referring to the fishing industry around Cairns in particular she said: "the Greens don’t care about them and the minor fishing parties are too small to realistically be able to do anything."
I am certainly sympathetic to the Greens position on both these issues from a stewardship point of view, but again, it is a matter of whether their policies are showing the necessary balance as their critics are highlighting.
An interesting day, but Labor may have won the last Monday of the election with an additional $4,000pa per teenager.
Sex party resorts to dirty tactics in Family First attack
In a sign of growing dirty tactics in the Federal election campaign the Australian Sex Party yesterday made an under-handed attempt to discredit the Family First political party by claiming that Family First tried to make a preference deal with them.
Family First’s Federal Chairman Bob Day yesterday strongly denied reports of the party entering a preference arrangement with the Australian Sex Party, saying “I want to reassure you that this is completely false. I am the Federal Chairman and no preference arrangement can occur without my approval.”
“This is a blatant attempt by the Australian Sex Party to discredit Family First. You might recall some months ago this Party took out large advertisements in The Advertiser expressing one of their key aims was to ‘stop Family First’.” Click here for more details.
According to a report in today’s Adelaide Advertiser, a Family First staffer did make contact with the Australian Sex Party to discuss preferences, but Mr Day is reported as saying that the staffer was acting outside of his authority. Family First’s Dennis Hood clarified the situation further in an interview with the ABC’s World Today program.
Mr Day also told the Advertiser that a preference deal would never have been done with the Sex Party, whose views were "diametrically opposed" to Family First.
Family First’s Federal Chairman Bob Day yesterday strongly denied reports of the party entering a preference arrangement with the Australian Sex Party, saying “I want to reassure you that this is completely false. I am the Federal Chairman and no preference arrangement can occur without my approval.”
“This is a blatant attempt by the Australian Sex Party to discredit Family First. You might recall some months ago this Party took out large advertisements in The Advertiser expressing one of their key aims was to ‘stop Family First’.” Click here for more details.
According to a report in today’s Adelaide Advertiser, a Family First staffer did make contact with the Australian Sex Party to discuss preferences, but Mr Day is reported as saying that the staffer was acting outside of his authority. Family First’s Dennis Hood clarified the situation further in an interview with the ABC’s World Today program.
Mr Day also told the Advertiser that a preference deal would never have been done with the Sex Party, whose views were "diametrically opposed" to Family First.
Australia needs to speak up for women’s rights under Sharia law
MEDIA RELEASE
For release: July 9, 2010
Australia needs to speak up for women’s rights under Sharia law
The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) is calling on the Australian Government to join the global campaign to pressure the Iranian Government to save the life of Ms Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani who has been convicted of having an ‘illicit relationship’.
“Although the Iranian Embassy in London has said that Ms Ashtiani will no longer face death by stoning, sentencing someone to death for committing adultery is archaic and inhumane and highlights the poor treatment of women under Sharia Law,” said ACL’s Chief of Staff Lyle Shelton.
Mr Shelton said the Foreign Minister Stephen Smith should call in the Iranian Ambassador Mahmoud Babaei and make plain to him the feelings of the Australian people about the draconian treatment of women under Sharia Law.
The Iranian Government has not yet made clear whether Ms Ashtiani will be spared, or executed by some other means.
“This woman has already had her human rights grossly abused, suffering 99 lashes for her ‘crime’.
“That Ms Ashtiani still faces execution or further punishment reminds the world of Iran’s constant violation of their citizens’ human rights – particularly the human rights of women.
“The Australian Government needs to pressure the Iranian Government to protect the sanctity of life and to protect this woman from such an act of cruelty and ultimately, to have Iran remove stoning and other human rights abuses from its penal code.
“Australia should join the global campaign to uphold this woman’s human rights. Our nation’s silence is disappointing.”
For release: July 9, 2010
Australia needs to speak up for women’s rights under Sharia law
The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) is calling on the Australian Government to join the global campaign to pressure the Iranian Government to save the life of Ms Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani who has been convicted of having an ‘illicit relationship’.
“Although the Iranian Embassy in London has said that Ms Ashtiani will no longer face death by stoning, sentencing someone to death for committing adultery is archaic and inhumane and highlights the poor treatment of women under Sharia Law,” said ACL’s Chief of Staff Lyle Shelton.
Mr Shelton said the Foreign Minister Stephen Smith should call in the Iranian Ambassador Mahmoud Babaei and make plain to him the feelings of the Australian people about the draconian treatment of women under Sharia Law.
The Iranian Government has not yet made clear whether Ms Ashtiani will be spared, or executed by some other means.
“This woman has already had her human rights grossly abused, suffering 99 lashes for her ‘crime’.
“That Ms Ashtiani still faces execution or further punishment reminds the world of Iran’s constant violation of their citizens’ human rights – particularly the human rights of women.
“The Australian Government needs to pressure the Iranian Government to protect the sanctity of life and to protect this woman from such an act of cruelty and ultimately, to have Iran remove stoning and other human rights abuses from its penal code.
“Australia should join the global campaign to uphold this woman’s human rights. Our nation’s silence is disappointing.”
To Kevin, from Dietrich
Brian Rosner, a fellow of the Centre for Public Christianity, writes in today’s The Australian about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German church leader whose involvement in the famous Valkyrie plot to assassinate Hitler led to his death; a man who Kevin Rudd admired most. In these difficult times for Kevin Rudd, Rosner offers words of solace from Bonhoeffer; a man whose high hopes ended too, in disappointment.
While Rosner’s words are addressed to the former Prime Minister, Bonhoeffer is a shining example for all Christians in times of doubt and difficulty. Bonhoeffer’s Christian faith helped him to focus on the ‘invaluable’. Rosner reminds us that like Kevin Rudd, Bonhoeffer’s resilience was not cultural or constitutional, but theological.
While Rosner’s words are addressed to the former Prime Minister, Bonhoeffer is a shining example for all Christians in times of doubt and difficulty. Bonhoeffer’s Christian faith helped him to focus on the ‘invaluable’. Rosner reminds us that like Kevin Rudd, Bonhoeffer’s resilience was not cultural or constitutional, but theological.
ACL joins legal action against film containing 'simulated paedophilia'
ACL has joined fellow pro-family group Family Voice Australia, and Liberal senators Julian McGauran and Guy Barnett, in a Federal Court appeal against the release of the disturbing 1975 film Salo. The film had previously been refused classification on six separate occasions, the most recent in 2008.
Salo, which depicts the kidnap, torture and sexual abuse of minors by a group of four Fascists in Mussolini's Italy, was recently approved for DVD sale in Australia accompanied by two hours of additional material, which is meant to place the film within its broader historical and cinematic ‘context’.
In recent Senate Estimates hearings, chairman of the Classification Board Donald McDonald admitted that the Board had no evidence people would actually watch the contextual material, which formed the basis of the decision to approve the DVD’s release.
Mr McDonald also confessed that, “Simulated paedophilia could be acceptable in the context of a particular film”. He further admitted the film contained “depictions of paedophilia”, contradicting his classifiers, who had argued otherwise. Clearly the Classification Board have erred in allowing the sale of Salo – if paedophilia doesn’t overstep the boundaries, do any boundaries actually exist? ACL has called for an overhaul of classification laws to restore the public's trust in the system.
Senator McGauran and FamilyVoice Australia issued separate media releases. For media coverage of the Federal Court appeal, please click here and here.
Greens’ philosophy questioned
Australian Greens' leader Bob Brown is philosophically a long way from Nick Clegg in British politics, according to an opinion piece by Angela Shanahan in Saturday’s The Australian.
The party is underpinned by a “green ethic” which “directly contradicts the old Christian, biblically based ethic of man at the centre of creation” , Shanahan writes.
A longer article on the policies and intentions of the Greens, also by Shanahan, as well as an article on the same topic by Greens Leader Bob Brown, appears in the latest edition of ACL’s public policy magazine Viewpoint – please go to www.viewpointmagazine.com.au to find out more and subscribe.
While Shanahan’s opinion piece in The Australian made some important observations about the Greens and the Christian vote, ACL was concerned about a statement made in the article which, perhaps inadvertently, challenged our non-partisan position.
On Monday, The Australian published a letter from ACL Managing Director Jim Wallace responding. Below is the full text of his letter:
Angela Shanahan ("Christians must boost immunity to Greens virus", Inquirer, 12-13/6) is correct to point out the anti-Christian, even anti-faith agenda of the Greens.
Nowhere was this better illustrated than the Greens almost pathological attack on freedom of religion in Victoria, when they attempted through the government there to have the right of churches and faith organisations to employ people with beliefs compatible with theirs removed.
However, she is wrong to suggest that I'm an "unabashed Rudd supporter". I admire both Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott for their willingness to reflect their faith in politics, but like the Australian Christian Lobby, I'm not partisan with regard to the two major parties. I'm just critical of them when necessary and of minor parties that try to present themselves as something they are not, which the Greens are doing in suggesting they are an alternative to Labor and Liberal, when in reality they represent the far Left of politics.
Countdown to ‘2010 Make it Count’
With just four days until ‘2010 Make it Count’ momentum is building – with churches continuing to register and the mainstream media starting to take notice.
Writing in today’s Canberra Times, emeritus professor John Warhurst says denominations and churches getting together is a vital factor in the Christian constiuency's influence of government.
“This is just the first step in building a platform for later election campaigning at the national and electorate level for ACL and the churches,” Mr Warhurst writes. Please click here to read the full article.
Churches across the nation taking part are from a wide cross-section of denominations, with venues ranging from Mount Isa Baptist Church in Queensland, Nhulunbuy Uniting Church in the Northern Territory and Hillsong Church in Sydney.
If your church hasn’t yet registered to receive the webcast yet please encourage them to do so as soon as possible. Please go to www.australiavotes.org for full details.
We also encourage all churches taking part in the event to email their congregations and urge them to come along to your local event!
If you church isn’t able to participate in the webcast, that doesn’t mean you have to miss out. Go to www.australiavotes.org to find a list of broadcast locations - there's sure to be one near you.