Martyn Iles, the Managing Director of the Australian Christian Lobby has labeled the legislation that banned conversion therapy practices in Victoria as the “worst legislation of its kind in the world”.
While survivors of the practice have described the Victorian laws as a “gold standard” that other states should be aspiring to, Iles describes it as a law that criminalises prayer.
In a recent edition of his video blog, The Truth Of It, Iles argued against the legislation and didn’t hold back on his thoughts about the Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews saying the Labor leader never listens to community feedback and never adjusts legislation to meet community expectations.
“If there one thing about Daniel Andrews, it’s his capacity to change nothing for anybody – ever. He does what he does, and he does it with zeal and he’s gotten more and more emboldened in that over the years of his premiership.” Iles said.
The ACL leader had more than one thing to mention about Andrews though, listing off a long list of grievances the organisation holds against the Premier.
In a 20-minute long rant Iles said Andrews career “low-lights” were;
- the creation of the position of Equality Minister and placing that position within the cabinet,
- the creation of a Gender and Sexuality Commissioner,
- legalising same-sex adoption,
- in 2015 Andrews became the first Victorian Premier to walk in Pride march and he’s taken part every year since,
- shown support for the Pride march growing in size,
- opposed a national vote on same-sex marriage,
- supported changes to birth certificate laws for transgender people,
- support for a while of government approach to LGBTI equality
- the development of the St Kilda Pride Centre
- bringing in laws to stop conversion therapy
- developed a gender equality strategy
- flown rainbow flags over government buildings
- encouraged public displays of affection between LGBTI people
- supports abortion to birth
- supported legislation for safe zones around abortion clinics
- legalised euthanasia laws
- removed religious instruction from schools
- introduced the Respectful Relationships program
- funded the Safe Schools program
- gave advice and support to transgender children
- stopped religious songs being sung in schools at Christmas
- introduced the doctors in schools initiative
- allows Chaplains to be other faiths or of no faith
- removed the exemptions in the anti-discrimination act on who religious institutions can hire
- said Margaret Court was not worthy of a second Australian honour
Iles appealed to Christians to remove the Andrews government at the state’s 2022 election.
OIP Staff
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