David Clarke (Australian politician)

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David John Clarke, Australian politician, is a Liberal member of the New South Wales Legislative Council.

Clarke was elected to the NSW Legislative Council in 2003, and is a leading member of the Christian Right of the Liberal Party. He is a "co-operator" of the Opus Dei prelature of the Roman Catholic Church.^[1] He has a self-professed strong Christian viewpoint of life. ^[2] He is a strong supporter of Israel, the constitutional monarchy, the Australian flag, traditional marriage, free speech, freedom of religion, and free enterprise.

It was reported in the New South Wales Parliament that "The man who trained Clarke and taught him the art of ethnic branch stacking was that notorious Nazi propagandist, the late Lyenko Urbanchich...a young David Clarke was inducted into Urbanchich's close circle of supporters and learned the art of ethnic branch stacking. Clarke then joined Urbanchich on the Executive of the Liberal Ethnic Council when it was established in 1977. In this role the pair moved among the most extreme, anti-democratic elements of communities and continued their recruitment campaign in an effort to unseat moderate Liberals. " [1]

His views are those held by some in the Christian Right of the Liberal Party (such as his opposition to abortion and opposition to euthanasia) of which he is seen as a leading member. While he describes Australia as "a Christian nation"^[1] and that there is nothing wrong with religious values influencing legislation on age of consent, abortion and euthanasia. He denies that his conservative views override his respect for the separation of church and state and free enterprise (for example he has suggested that he would support legislation to allow homosexuals the power to determine where their superanuation should go if they die). ^[2]

Some Liberal colleagues, such as former member of the Legislative Council, Patricia Forsythe, have expressed trepidation towards what they have called Clarke's "extreme" views. ^[3] Moderate and small-l liberals oppose Clarke chiefly due to their opposition to the moral values Clarke and other Christian Right Liberals apply to their social policy positions. To this end, Forsythe has accused Clarke of employing thuggery and neo-Bolshevik branch-stacking in the New South Wales Division of the Liberal Party. ^[4]

Alex Hawke, former national president of the Young Liberals, is his parliamentary staffer and it is reported that Clarke has used Hawke like a colonel to influence the Young Liberal movement. [2]

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} The Religion Report, "Opus Dei in Australian politics" 12th May 2004 (accessed 30 July 2006)
2. ^ ^{a b} Sunday Profile - David Clarke Interview (accessed 30 July 2006)
3. ^ Sydney Morning Herald - Ordinary Libs being swept aside, Forsythe says (accessed 19 July 2006)
4. ^ 4 Corners - The Right Stuff (accessed 30 July 2006)