Patten’s anti-discrimination bill to put limits on free speech, warns the ACL
The Australian Christian Lobby opposes a plan by Victorian upper house MP Fiona Patten to extend the reach of the Racial and Religious Tolerance Bill to gender identity and sexual orientation.
Read more""Most agree that an infant is viable after 20 weeks""- Dan Flynn
This week on the political spot, some good news from Victoria. ACL Victorian Director, Dan Flynn, discusses the new Infant Viability Bill which has been introduced to correct the State's unacceptable current abortion laws.
Transcript
Transcript
School communities should not be forced to run “Safe Schools”
MEDIA RELEASE
8 March 2016
Victorian school communities should be free to say no to the so-called Safe Schools Coalition, according to the Australian Christian Lobby.
ACL Victorian Director Dan Flynn said the Andrews Government was wrong to force the age-inappropriate sexualised program on school communities and parents when opposition against it was growing.
“It is of deep concern to the Australian Christian Lobby and many Victorian parents that the Government is behaving like big brother and enforcing contested rainbow ideology onto our children,” Mr Flynn said.
Mr Flynn made the comments in response to a media report yesterday in which the Andrews Government first appeared to back away from making the program compulsory before back-peddling and reaffirming its stance to make Safe Schools mandatory in every Victorian high school by 2018.
“School communities that have decided not to align themselves with the program, such as Kyabram P-12 College, should not be forced to do so," Mr Flynn said.
He said bullying children for any reason was unacceptable but the Safe Schools program went way beyond the purview of an anti-bullying program.
“As parents and teachers become better informed they are questioning why their school should have the program, particularly when other anti-bullying programs are already available which already address minority issues,” Mr Flynn said.
“The Victorian Government should immediately withdraw the program from schools, pending its review by the Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham.
“As a significant funder of the program, the Victorian Government has a duty to Victorian taxpayers to hold its own review into Safe Schools.
"Parents expect their children to be safe at school but encouraging boys who identify as girls to use the girls’ bathrooms and share school camp accommodation is not the way to do this," Mr Flynn said.
"Safe Schools tells children they must have access to the Minus 18 website which instructs girls in chest binding so their breasts are flattened and penis tucking for boys.
“We are opposed to making the program mandatory and forcing parents and children to take on this rainbow ideologically driven program.”
ENDS
Media: 02 6259 0431
8 March 2016
Victorian school communities should be free to say no to the so-called Safe Schools Coalition, according to the Australian Christian Lobby.
ACL Victorian Director Dan Flynn said the Andrews Government was wrong to force the age-inappropriate sexualised program on school communities and parents when opposition against it was growing.
“It is of deep concern to the Australian Christian Lobby and many Victorian parents that the Government is behaving like big brother and enforcing contested rainbow ideology onto our children,” Mr Flynn said.
Mr Flynn made the comments in response to a media report yesterday in which the Andrews Government first appeared to back away from making the program compulsory before back-peddling and reaffirming its stance to make Safe Schools mandatory in every Victorian high school by 2018.
“School communities that have decided not to align themselves with the program, such as Kyabram P-12 College, should not be forced to do so," Mr Flynn said.
He said bullying children for any reason was unacceptable but the Safe Schools program went way beyond the purview of an anti-bullying program.
“As parents and teachers become better informed they are questioning why their school should have the program, particularly when other anti-bullying programs are already available which already address minority issues,” Mr Flynn said.
“The Victorian Government should immediately withdraw the program from schools, pending its review by the Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham.
“As a significant funder of the program, the Victorian Government has a duty to Victorian taxpayers to hold its own review into Safe Schools.
"Parents expect their children to be safe at school but encouraging boys who identify as girls to use the girls’ bathrooms and share school camp accommodation is not the way to do this," Mr Flynn said.
"Safe Schools tells children they must have access to the Minus 18 website which instructs girls in chest binding so their breasts are flattened and penis tucking for boys.
“We are opposed to making the program mandatory and forcing parents and children to take on this rainbow ideologically driven program.”
ENDS
Media: 02 6259 0431
Australia’s worst abortion laws just got worse
For two nights this week the Legislative Council has had marathon sittings lasting until 4am on Wednesday morning and 2am Friday morning in the Government’s bid to clamp down on pro-life speech or posters within 150 metres of Victorias abortion clinics. This ban extends to public and many private hospitals and all of the 100 plus doctors’ surgeries that administer the abortion drug RU 486.
The debate was dominated by a volley of questions from Coalition & DLP MP’s to Minister Jenny Mikakos regarding the Government’s intentions and the proposed operation of the exclusion zone laws.
It is alarming that the Government is refusing to provide any information to the public on where the zones will be located. Minister Mikakos made a statement that it would not be helpful for the public to know where the clinics that administer RU 486 are located. This demonstrates the uncertainty that surrounds the Bill.
It was pointed out by Inga Peulich MP that Victoria’s Universities have clinics providing RU 486 and therefore “clubs and societies” on campus would be limited in their free speech, especially during Orientation week.
Sensible amendments, designed to make a bad law better, were all defeated. The amendments sought to reduce the zone from 150 metres to 15 metres and reduce the maximum jail term for those who breach the zone, from 12 months to 1 month.
A critical amendment, by Bernie Finn MP, attempting to remove prayer and other forms of religious expression from the free speech ban was unsuccessful.
The wheels were set in motion for these speech censorship laws because the ALP Government denied its MP’s a conscience vote on the issue.
The Andrew’s ALP Government failed to honour the clear provisions in the ALP national rules, applicable since 1984, that guarantee ALP MP’s a conscience vote on abortion.
Sadly, a large number of Coalition members exercised their free vote on the issue to support the draconian laws, mistakenly accepting the false narrative that those who seek to offer alternatives to abortion at abortion clinics, cause harm. In fact, these pro-life counsellors’ compassionate activities usually result in 12 live births every year.
The mothers of these children have not regretted their choice to continue with their pregnancies. One such mother and her four year old daughter were present in Parliament during the debate; hearing that the method by which the young girl’s life was saved, a compassionate conversation, will now be an imprisonable offence.
Due to the votes of the 30 MP’s who approved this Bill, there will be twelve less children around the Christmas table next year. This is indeed a shocking outcome for a vote taken in the middle of the night. It seems unreasonable that the lives of children depend on the votes of MP’s at a time of day when making decisions is difficult.
The Government’s banning of allowing alternatives to abortion, where information is most needed, facilitates a cruel type of domestic violence, where the most vulnerable pay the ultimate price in silence.
Conservative free speech Victorians applaud the courage of the eight MPs who repeatedly voted against the jackboot of Government speech control; Bernie Finn, Inga Peulich, Richard Dalla-Riva, Rachel Carling-Jenkins, Daniel Young, Gordon Rich-Philips, James Purcell & Jeff Bourman.
While a minority group, they represented the views of the majority of correspondents to MP’s on this issue, as was acknowledged by MP’s on both sides of the debate.
This free speech ban is now likely to be tested in the High Court in the likely scenario that a compassionate pro-life advocate seeks a consensual conversation with a young mother outside of one of Victorias abortion clinics.
The debate was dominated by a volley of questions from Coalition & DLP MP’s to Minister Jenny Mikakos regarding the Government’s intentions and the proposed operation of the exclusion zone laws.
It is alarming that the Government is refusing to provide any information to the public on where the zones will be located. Minister Mikakos made a statement that it would not be helpful for the public to know where the clinics that administer RU 486 are located. This demonstrates the uncertainty that surrounds the Bill.
It was pointed out by Inga Peulich MP that Victoria’s Universities have clinics providing RU 486 and therefore “clubs and societies” on campus would be limited in their free speech, especially during Orientation week.
Sensible amendments, designed to make a bad law better, were all defeated. The amendments sought to reduce the zone from 150 metres to 15 metres and reduce the maximum jail term for those who breach the zone, from 12 months to 1 month.
A critical amendment, by Bernie Finn MP, attempting to remove prayer and other forms of religious expression from the free speech ban was unsuccessful.
The wheels were set in motion for these speech censorship laws because the ALP Government denied its MP’s a conscience vote on the issue.
The Andrew’s ALP Government failed to honour the clear provisions in the ALP national rules, applicable since 1984, that guarantee ALP MP’s a conscience vote on abortion.
Sadly, a large number of Coalition members exercised their free vote on the issue to support the draconian laws, mistakenly accepting the false narrative that those who seek to offer alternatives to abortion at abortion clinics, cause harm. In fact, these pro-life counsellors’ compassionate activities usually result in 12 live births every year.
The mothers of these children have not regretted their choice to continue with their pregnancies. One such mother and her four year old daughter were present in Parliament during the debate; hearing that the method by which the young girl’s life was saved, a compassionate conversation, will now be an imprisonable offence.
Due to the votes of the 30 MP’s who approved this Bill, there will be twelve less children around the Christmas table next year. This is indeed a shocking outcome for a vote taken in the middle of the night. It seems unreasonable that the lives of children depend on the votes of MP’s at a time of day when making decisions is difficult.
The Government’s banning of allowing alternatives to abortion, where information is most needed, facilitates a cruel type of domestic violence, where the most vulnerable pay the ultimate price in silence.
Conservative free speech Victorians applaud the courage of the eight MPs who repeatedly voted against the jackboot of Government speech control; Bernie Finn, Inga Peulich, Richard Dalla-Riva, Rachel Carling-Jenkins, Daniel Young, Gordon Rich-Philips, James Purcell & Jeff Bourman.
While a minority group, they represented the views of the majority of correspondents to MP’s on this issue, as was acknowledged by MP’s on both sides of the debate.
This free speech ban is now likely to be tested in the High Court in the likely scenario that a compassionate pro-life advocate seeks a consensual conversation with a young mother outside of one of Victorias abortion clinics.
ACL urges vote for candidates supporting doctors’ freedom of conscience
With both the Premier and the Opposition leader giving the green light to a private members bill on doctors’ conscience in abortion, the Australian Christian Lobby has urged voters to vote for pro freedom of conscience candidates regardless of party.
The Victorian Premier and Opposition Leader have both stated that they will allow a conscience vote if a private members’ bill is introduced to restore freedom to doctors to decline to participate in abortion.
Denis Napthine and Daniel Andrews were responding to questions from Christian leaders at the Australian Christian Lobby’s Make it Count forum at Queens’ Hall, Parliament House on 23 September 2014.
Their commitments come following a question at the forum about Melbourne Doctor Mark Hobart, who faced sanctions for declining to assist a couple who wanted their baby girl aborted so they could try again for a boy.
“If a private members’ bill was introduced then we would certainly allow a conscience vote,” Dr Napthine said.
“My position would be to afford a conscience vote,” Mr Andrews said.
ACL Victorian Director Dan Flynn welcomed the leaders’ commitments to allow a parliamentary vote on whether or not doctors should be forced to participate in abortion by making a referral for an abortion.
“Victorian voters who value life are urged to vote for a pro-freedom of conscience candidate from either party at the 29 November election”, Mr Flynn said.
The Victorian Premier and Opposition Leader have both stated that they will allow a conscience vote if a private members’ bill is introduced to restore freedom to doctors to decline to participate in abortion.
Denis Napthine and Daniel Andrews were responding to questions from Christian leaders at the Australian Christian Lobby’s Make it Count forum at Queens’ Hall, Parliament House on 23 September 2014.
Their commitments come following a question at the forum about Melbourne Doctor Mark Hobart, who faced sanctions for declining to assist a couple who wanted their baby girl aborted so they could try again for a boy.
“If a private members’ bill was introduced then we would certainly allow a conscience vote,” Dr Napthine said.
“My position would be to afford a conscience vote,” Mr Andrews said.
ACL Victorian Director Dan Flynn welcomed the leaders’ commitments to allow a parliamentary vote on whether or not doctors should be forced to participate in abortion by making a referral for an abortion.
“Victorian voters who value life are urged to vote for a pro-freedom of conscience candidate from either party at the 29 November election”, Mr Flynn said.
Tim Costello on gambling lobby's campaign in lead up to Vic election
Tim Costello is the head of the Australian Churches Gambling Taskforce. In this interview with the ACL's Katherine Spackman he says the gambling industry is campaigning hard against the Napthine Government's in the lead up to this year's Victorian election because it passed a law to increase tax on pokie venues. Mr Costello is calling for bipartisan support over the tax increase.
Politics in Focus
Get a Christian perspective of news and politics with the latest political commentary from ACL on “The Politics in Focus”. This TV segment airs fortnightly on the Australian Christian Channel as part of Seventh Day Adventist Media’s weekly InFocus program. Tune in on Fridays at 7pm or Saturdays at 12pm.
In this week's edition, ACL's Lyle Shelton weighs in on the international response to the exile of Mosul's Christians and a policy kerfuffle over religious activities in Victoria's schools.
Politics InFocus - 08.08.14 from InFocus on Vimeo.
In this week's edition, ACL's Lyle Shelton weighs in on the international response to the exile of Mosul's Christians and a policy kerfuffle over religious activities in Victoria's schools.
Politics InFocus - 08.08.14 from InFocus on Vimeo.
ACL’s Lyle Shelton addresses rally for persecuted Iraqi Christians in Melbourne
Last Saturday, ACL's managing director Lyle Shelton called for an increase to Australia’s humanitarian intake when he addressed a crowd of about 4,000 who rallied in Melbourne to condemn the persecution of Christians in Iraq.
The rally was organised by leaders from Australian churches with Middle Eastern roots as a show of solidarity with the hundreds and thousands of Christians who have been driven from their homes in northern Iraq under the threat of 'convert to Islam or die' by Islamic state militants.
Mr Shelton said he wants the government to increase its intake from the current 13,700 refugees a year it takes. ACL has launched a campaign calling on the federal government to increase Australia's humanitarian migrant intake and to offer asylum to those fleeing persecution. You can add your voice by signing the petition at refugees.acl.org.au.
"The Australian Christian Lobby is calling upon the federal government to increase our humanitarian intake so that we can take some of these refugees and share some of the burden," Mr Shelton told the crowd.
Other speakers on the day included Bernie Finn MLC, Bishop Suriel of the Coptic Orthodox Church and Father Geoff Harvey of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, as well as other leaders from the Assyrian, Syriac, and Chaldean churches.
ACL supporter Collin Nunis, who was also at the rally, said that "Though this rally was born out of very unfortunate circumstances, the rally was also a blessing as it brought Australian Christian churches together in solidarity and spirit; Christians from all walks of life professing one faith."
We continue to hear stories of persecution Christians are facing in Syria and Iraq.
An ACL supporter in Victoria said he has received a text message from a Syrian business associate based in Abu Dhabi about the continuing persecution of Christians in his homeland.
The text message he received from the associate said:
- Yesterday my relatives - a woman and child - were killed in Damascus and terrorists gunmen now occupy their home.
- The situation is very bad in the capital.
- I told you more than 120,000 Syrian Christians threatened with death in the coming days.
- It's really holocaust for the Christians in Syria and Iraq.
- I have no home to go back to it, but we trust in Christ to help us.
Last week, ACL's Katherine Spackman interviewed religious liberty analyst Elizabeth Kendal about the plight of Iraqi Christians who have been ordered by ISIS militants to leave the city of Mosul or convert to Islam. You can listen to the interview here.
Victorians gather to honour victims of MH17 at St Paul's Cathedral
I was amongst many Victorians at St Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne this morning to honour the victims of the Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 disaster in the Ukraine last week.The Anglican Primate of Australia, Dr Philip Freier hosted a multi-denominational and inter-faith service to comfort family and friends of those who perished.
Dr Freier spoke of the comfort that God seeks to bring to those mourning the loss of the 298 people on board the flight. He spoke of the journey ahead in repatriating the bodies of loved ones to be brought home for intimate farewell and burial in their communities.
The service was a moving expression of solidarity and a call for justice.
Dignitaries, including Victorian Governor Alex Chernov, the Premier Dr Denis Napthine, comforted grieving family members before and after the service. Members of the Sunbury Lions Football Club were visible in team colours, in support of the family of deceased locals Albert and Maree Rizk.
It was fitting of Canon Heather Patacca to pray:
"Merciful Father, hear our prayers and comfort us; renew our trust in your Son, whom you raised from the dead; strengthen our faith that all who have died in the love of Christ will share in his resurrection "
The Australian Christian Lobby joins with all Australians in extending love and comfort to the families who have lost love ones.
We must be ready for every opportunity to advocate for Christian principles
ACL’s voice has been heard loud and clear in Canberra – and across the country – during the last six months. Thank you for your advocacy and partnership!We’ve made good progress, even in the face of opposition to the values of human flourishing, we seek to promote:
- Together we reached an estimated 10,000 viewers with our exclusive pre-election webcast video messages from then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and then Opposition Leader Tony Abbott;
- We’ve upheld the dignity of the aged and infirm by contributing to the defeat of euthanasia laws in Tasmania;
- We achieved bi-partisan agreement in Queensland that action is needed to protect kids from sexualised outdoor advertising;
- We secured an election promise from the Tasmanian Premier to reintroduce the right of Christian schools to hire staff in keeping with their beliefs; and
- And we helped organise the Victorian March for the Babies, the largest pro-life march in Australia, which was attended by as many as 4,000 people.
However, it’s clear that this is no time to rest on our laurels.
We must continue to take every opportunity to bring Christian principles into government and public policy discussion.
We must be the voice for values our nation desperately needs – because we live at a time when decisions are being made that directly affect the culture our children are part of and will have to contend with.
So, as the end of the financial year approaches, please be mindful of how you can help strengthen this voice through your support to ensure we can step into the opportunities that lie ahead.
Please pray for us as we seek to bring Christian influence to our nation.