The Australian Christian Lobby is unable to support the Religious Discrimination Bill 2019 in its current form. Our first concern is that a non-discrimination approach is not the best way...

ACL acknowledges that abortion is an emotive issue and for many women a deeply sensitive one. Women who find themselves unexpectantly pregnant may feel overwhelmed at the prospect of having a child and may be deeply conflicted and vulnerable. Many may feel abortion is the only option. These women should be treated with respect and sensitivity.

The Lord’s Prayer is a reminder to all parliamentarians that they are not the highest power – that is why many Australians are reassured in the knowledge that so many of their elected representatives attend its daily reading in parliament.

In response of a Bill calling for the lowering of the voting age to 16, the ACL argued for better education for students to understand the democratic processes and the functioning of the Australian government and for the retention of 18 as the age for eligibility to vote.

The Australian Christian Lobby is opposed to the availability of surrogacy, including altruistic surrogacy, as the practice does not operate in the best interests of the child in ensuring that the child has the right to know and to be raised by his or her biological parents.

The care of pregnant women and young children is critical in ensuring a healthy adult population. Research shows that the focus needs to expand to include the first 1000 days - from conception to the age of two.

The detrimental effects of legalising the recreational marijuana, though still significantly under-researched, appear to be considerable. ACL recommended that Federal legislation remain as an impediment to States legislating for recreational use of marijuana or cannabis products in the interests of public health and safety.

In November 2017, the ACT Legislative Assembly established a Select Committee to review and report on end of life choices in the ACT. Australian Christian Lobby provided the attached submission.

In March 2018, the Senate instigated an inquiry into the use of mitochondrial transfer which is a process of genetic manipulation to avoid the transfer of mitochondrial disease.

The Australian Christian Lobby and the Human Rights Law Alliance provided a joint submission to the Ruddock Review.