Opposition leader Bill Shorten has been announced as the Australian Christian Lobby’s upcoming National Conference for 2014.
Some have expressed concern that the ACL has been becoming increasingly radical and no longer expresses the views of mainstream Australians, or mainstream Australian Christians.
The ACL’s managing director Lyle Shelton recently dismissed the results of a poll indicating a a record high in Australian support for same sex marriage in comments recorded in a press release entitled ‘More mature marriage debate needed’.
Mr Shelton argued that the poll didn’t consider the “knock-on effects” of same sex marriage:
“Does the polling ask people if they are comfortable with children being taken from their biological mother or father.
“Are Australians happy for fellow citizens who believe in man-woman marriage to be sued in the courts or driven from their jobs because of their beliefs, as is now happening in other jurisdictions?” he said.
Shelton called on Liberal Democrats Senator David Leyonjhelm, who spoke in favour of marriage equality to clarify further on his intent to “deregulate marriage”.
“Does that mean he would support ‘marriage equality’ for ‘throuples’? Where does this end?
“There are countries which allow other definitions of marriage such as child marriage and polygamy.
“Should we deregulate these as well?” Mr Shelton said.
Australian Marriage Equality has called on Mr Shorten to use his position as keynote speaker at the Australian Christian Lobby conference to address the position of same sex marriage. AME’s national director Rodney Croome made the following comments:
“Bill Shorten should remind the ACL conference that, like the majority of Australians, including Australian Christians, he supports marriage equality, and explain why the reform matters.”
“As someone who has voted to give equal recognition and protection to same-sex parents and their children, I’d also like to see him explain that love and not gender makes a family.”
“Recent polling by Crosby/Textor found that 59% of Australian Christians support marriage equality, which is up from 53% in 2011.”
“This is a reminder that groups like the ACL represent a small and shrinking slice of Australian society.”
In 2012, then Prime Minister Julia Gillard cancelled her keynote speech at the ACL’s National Conference due to the organisation’s managing director at the time comparing same sex marriage with the health risks of smoking.
OUTinPerth has contact Bill Shorten’s office for comment and is awaiting a response.
