Lotterywest has been criticised for a decision not to provide funding to Margaret Court’s Victory Life church.

Lotterywest has confirmed that they board unanimously decided not to fund an application from Court’s Victory Life church who had been hoping to buy a new freezer truck to meet growing demand for their charity services.  The funding organisation cited its commitment to equality and inclusion as the reason for declining to provide funds to the group, instead it will assist in tackling homelessness by funding other providers.

“Under Lotterywest legislation, the Lotterywest board has discretion around which eligible organisations receive funding,” a spokesman said.

“In declining to support this grant application however, Lotterywest has undertaken to work with the Emergency Food Relief Forum, which was also involved in the grant application, to ensure this decision will not affect the provision of emergency food relief to people in need.”

Reverend Court has stated that it was her political and religious stance against same sex marriage that lead to the rejection.

Speaking to The West Australian Reverend Court said the decision was unfair because while she preaches her views on LGBTI issues, she says her group does not discriminate.

“We don’t discriminate at all,” Reverend Court said. “We help and support people of all faiths, all races, all beliefs and all sexual orientations.

“We reached out to Lotterywest to assist with the purchase of a new freezer van to help keep up with the heavy demand. Victory Life Community Services has been advised by Lotterywest that it would not help us because of our biblical views on same-sex marriage.”

Court accused Lotterywest of creating disadvantage by not funding her group to provide services.

The decision has been criticised by former state Liberal leader Dr Mike Nahan who took to social media to share his thoughts.

“This is disturbing. The Victory Life Church does great work supporting those in need. Lotterywest had no problem funding the Catholic Archbishop of Perth to provide similar services, despite having identical biblical views on same-sex marriage” Dr Nahan posted to Twitter. The retired politician also called for Lotterywest CEO Susan Hunt to be fired.

NSW politician Mark Latham, who is now the leader of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party in New South Wales, has also criticised the decision.

“If they’re putting views about same sex marriage and LGBT ahead of poverty stricken needy people needing these good parcels in Perth, well that’s a case of religious discrimination and ethically quite a disgrace. It’s quite disturbing that a government agency would put political and religious views ahead of the actual needs of people.” Lathan said during an appearance on the Sky News program The Bolt Report. 

Host Andrew Bolt said Margaret Court had been unfairly “smashed, vilified, ostracised” for her opinions on same sex marriage, and he believed most of those who criticised her views would do little themselves to help the poor.

“I would guarantee that 99.99% of her critics, so upset about what she might think, do not actually do the kind of help that she does every single week. I find this, if true, this bigotry, that her views trump helping her feed poor people – that stinks, and it shows to me that this really is a society by how they seem rather than what they do.” Bolt said.

Revered Court has previously voiced her opposition to allowing same sex couples to marry, criticised gay couples who have children, suggested that people are gay because they’ve been sexually abused, suggested that professional tennis has been overtaken by lesbians, described transgender children as being of the devil, and shared her thoughts that thinking about being same sex attracted will lead to you being same sex attracted.

In the past Reverend Court has also spoken about how gay people are embraced by her church and said many of them have gone on to have heterosexual marriages and children.

OIP Staff

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