Catch The Fire Ministries have launched a campaign entitled ‘Flowers for the Prime Minister’, hoping to “turn the side of same sex marriage on August 10 by an act of love.”
The organisation, which also includes political party Rise Up Australia, are urging marriage equality opponents to inundate the Prime Minister’s office with flowers, with attached notes thanking Mr Abbott for standing against amending the current Marriage Act.
A statement released by Catch The Fire appeals to the “silent majority”, a term popularised by Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, referring to a perceived imbalance in media coverage of marriage equality issues.
“The silent majority needs to do something radical to show our Prime Minister and parliamentarians what we really think,” reads the statement from Catch The Fire.
The document continues to explain how the group visualised their proposed solution through prayer.
“Several of us saw a picture coming together as we prayed about this. Parliament house was being inundated with flowers – everywhere – in the lobby, in the rooms, the hall and outside. Thousands of bouquets of flowers were arriving. They had notes, saying “thank you for standing against same sex marriage” or something similar. It impacted the whole nation as the media began to film it and photograph it. Such a thing had never been done before.”
Catch The Fire compare their vision to the gravity of the late Princess Diana’s funeral.
“Do you remember how the masses of flowers changed the atmosphere in the UK after the death of Lady Di?” the statement reads, “It changed the hearts of the Royal Family and brought the nation together.”
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers are also readying a campaign targeting the Prime Minister, with a very different message.
T
he ‘Invite Tony’ campaign encourages same-sex couples to save a prospective date for their wedding and invite Mr Abbott to the party.
Liberty Sanger, a principal of Maurice Blackburn, says legal recognition of same-sex marriage is well overdue.
“Maurice Blackburn Lawyers are strong supporters of marriage equality and want to see all people treated equally before the law, regardless of their gender of sexual orientation,” Ms Sanger said.
Once registered, the Invite Tony campaign will send Mr Abbott a ‘save the date’ card and posted on Facebook for your friends and family to share and comment.
Maurice Blackburn encourage all couples to register in solidarity with same-sex couples, opening their campaign to willing heterosexual couplings.
With a cross-party bill due to meet parliament on August 11, both campaigns are vying for the attention of the PM and the Liberal Party. The Liberal party are bound by their leader and may only break party line if Abbott allows his party a free conscience vote.
Leigh Hill
Update: This story was first published with the title: Catch The Fire Ministries launch campaign against marriage equality
