Reports have emerged that former Australian Christian Lobby leader Lyle Shelton is no longer being endorsed by Reverend Fred Nile to take the reins of the Christian Democrat Party (CDP).
Eternity News have reported that outgoing CDP leader and New South Wales MLC Nile has revoked his support for Shelton as the new leader. The news has been confirmed by a statement on Shelton’s own website.
Back in April, news broke that Nile had announced he’ll be retiring from the NSW parliament after forty years.
Nile founded the political party in 1977 and first entered the NSW parliament in 1981. He has been a staunch opponent of LGBTIQ+ rights throughout his political career.
At the last NSW state election the party lost one of it’s two seats in the NSW upper house, leaving Nile as its sole representative. His party has been plagued by in-fighting in recent years, and there are currently multiple lawsuits between members over attempted takeover bids.
“Today it was reported that The Reverend Honourable Fred Nile has chosen to withdraw his endorsement of my candidacy to succeed him in the New South Wales Parliament in November,” Shelton said in his statement.
“As the Christian Democratic Party emerges from receivership and its present legal troubles, it has an opportunity to move forward,” Shelton continued.
“It is clear that over recent years, the party has been riven with factions and divisions that should have no place in a Christian organisation.”
“A truly Christian political movement ought to look very different and behave differently than the major parties. Yet sadly, the behaviour that has been on display in the party’s organisational wing in recent years has fallen well short of the standard expected of a Christian organisation.”
As well as former head of the ACL, Shelton served as leader of the No campaign against marriage equality, and previously unsuccessfully ran for a spot in the federal parliament as part of Cory Bernardi’s Australian Conservatives.
OIP Staff
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