Australian Christian Lobby

Australian Christian Lobby
Founded 1995
Registration no. 40 075 120 517[1] (ABN)
Location
Area served
 Australia
Key people
 Chairman, Tony McLellan
Deputy chairman, Jim Wallace AM
managing director, Lyle Shelton
Slogan Voice for values
Website http://www.acl.org.au

The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) is a political organisation based in Canberra, which works in six different states and territories inside the country. The ACL is politically active in Australia as a socially conservative lobbying organisation.

ACL managing director
Lyle Shelton

History

The Australian Christian Coalition (ACC) was founded in 1995 by John Gagliardi, a lay leader of a large Pentecostal church in Brisbane. Gagliardi had held journalistic positions as editor of the Townsville Bulletin and as a presenter for Channel 10 news.[2] Co-founders include John McNicoll, a retired Baptist minister turned lobbyist in Canberra, and John Miller, who worked with a number of community and government organisations and held leadership positions within his independent community-based church.

The organisation changed its name to the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) in March 2001.[1] The ACL is an Australian Public Company, Limited By Guarantee[3] and files political expenditure returns with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).[4]

It publishes magazines such as Viewpoint, which are provided to Australian parliamentarians at no charge.[5] It periodically issues media releases[6] and communicates with supporters via email newsletters.[7]

Lyle Shelton is ACL's managing director.[8] The company has a self-appointed board of management – board members are invited to join by existing board members.[9]

Views and lobbying efforts

According to the ACL's website, "The vision of the Australian Christian Lobby is to see Christian principles and ethics accepted and influencing the way we are governed, do business and relate to each other as a community. The ACL aims to foster a more compassionate, just and moral society by seeking to have the positive public contributions of the Christian faith reflected in the political life of the nation."[10] The ABC has described the ACL as "a conservative Christian lobby group providing Biblical solutions for social issues".[11] The ACL has been described by writer Chrys Stevenson as "extremist Christians" and "dominionists",[12] distinctions which the ACL deny and have countered.[13][14]

Political scientist John Warhurst has described ACL as an evangelical lobby group and considers such lobbying groups to be more politically influential than the Christian political party Family First.[15]

Former senior staff members of the company have expressed concern that the ACL's policies are created by a small number of company owners, while many people assume that it represents Australian churches or a caucus of members. Then managing director Jim Wallace confirmed that the organisation represents its supporters only but that, for contentious policy decisions, he contacts a group of representative theologians representing a number of denominations.[9]

The ACL promotes its socially conservative objectives through lobbying and public outreach. The organisation is actively involved in influencing public policy in Australia on a range of social issues. Prior to the Australian 2007 federal election, the ACL hosted a "Make it Count" event with the Prime Minister, John Howard, and Opposition Leader, Kevin Rudd, speaking in turn about their positions on a range of issues effecting Christians,[16] and again on 21 June 2010, with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott. Christian leaders of 20 denominations attended the events.[17] Days later, when Julia Gillard became the Australian Prime Minister, she was asked the same set of questions.[18] Gillard has met with church leaders, on at least one occasion, in meetings organised by the ACL.[19][20]

In 2012 Gillard pulled out of a planned appearance at the ACL national conference after Jim Wallace suggested that a homosexual "lifestyle" was more hazardous to health than smoking.[21] Gillard called the comments "heartless", "wrong" and "totally unacceptable".[22] Steve Hambleton of the Australian Medical Association also called Wallace's comments "totally inappropriate", adding that "many of the poor health outcomes seen in the gay community were due to discrimination, and if discrimination was removed, health outcomes would improve".[23]

Wallace was defended by former Attorney-General Robert McClelland[24] and the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Peter Jensen who said Wallace had, "given us an opportunity to talk about something significant, namely the question of health risk [as] it's very hard to get to the facts here because we don't want to talk about it, and in this country censorship is alive and well".[25] Further support has been expressed for Wallace's concerns.[26][27] In relation to life expectancy, Wallace's comments are believed to be based on data that is over 20 years old, well before advanced treatments for HIV were developed.[28] More recent data shows no difference in life expectancy between homosexuals and heterosexuals. An investigation by political website Crikey stated Wallace's claims were "mostly rubbish."[28]

Following the 2014 ACL national conference[29] John Warhurst, emeritus professor of political science at the Australian National University said, "ACL is now established in the top echelon of lobbying groups".[30]

Prior to state government elections, the ACL also hosts "Make it Count" events giving the major party leaders an opportunity to provide information on their vision for the state and how they propose to engage with the Christian constituency. Church leaders and others in the audience can also ask questions. State-based "Make it Count" events have been held in NSW,[31][32] Victoria,[33] Queensland,[34] Western Australia,[35][36] Tasmania,[37] Northern Territory[38] and the Australian Capital Territory.[39] These events are often webcast to a wider audience. For both federal and state elections, the ACL holds "Meet Your Candidate" forums, primarily in marginal seats, to give voters an opportunity to meet and question the people who are seeking their vote.[40]

ACL prepares and presents submissions to Federal and State parliaments and their agencies.[41]

Family

In September 2011, during Child Protection Week, the ACL released a report, For Kids' Sake, in response to increasing levels of abuse, neglect and self-harm related to children, for which the ACL state sliding marriage rates are partly to blame.[42]

Sexuality

ACL actively opposes various political moves to recognise specific LGBT rights in Australia, particularly those regarding same-sex marriage, LGBT parenting and adoption, and have campaigned for the rights of church-owned schools to be able to legally discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.[43]

ACL support rights for LGBT people, including access for same-sex couples to Medicare, inheritances, superannuation benefits and social security income support.[44] Former Attorney-General Robert McClelland has said protesters would not have recognised that the ACL had supported amendments to 84 pieces of Commonwealth legislation that removed discrimination against same-sex couples.[24] In June 2012 Jacob Holman, a Joy 94.9 radio host, collated the data from six months of ACL press releases and media mentions, and found the ACL raises LGBT issues almost five times more than any other issue.[45]

Other Christian leaders have stated the ACL's campaigning against gay rights does not represent the stance of all Christians, and several Christian Churches have stated they are frustrated and concerned about the ACL's actions on the issue.[45][46] Greens MP Colleen Hartland claimed "I would think [the ACL's] hatred of gays is un-Christian."[47] Wallace has stated that the claim that there is discrimination against homosexual couples is a "myth".[48] The ACL criticised the government for working with a gay advisory body to assist its decision making as "disgraceful and pandering to a minority".[47]

Same-sex marriage

There have been several bills before the Australian Federal government, including the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2012 and the Marriage Amendment Bill 2012, proposing changes to the definition of marriage to include same sex marriages, which the ACL opposes and has lobbied against. Their objections can be summarised as:

The ACL have also expressed concern that the public has been misled into believing that there is more public support on this issue than there really is.[49] In June 2012, in a televised debate on Channel 7's Sunrise program, Jim Wallace responded to the show's perceived bias saying, "I think that this whole campaign would do great credit to Joseph Goebbels". The ACL has said that the show's partnership with GetUp! and associated advertising on its website "compromise Sunrise's role as a current affairs program and move it to the realm of overt activism", and as such is a breach of the Australian Commercial Television Code of Practice, which requires news to be presented impartially.[54][55]

ACL and GetUp! were involved in preparing petitions opposing and supporting the proposals respectively. The first petition that ACL organised contained 52,000 signatures.[56][57] The second ACL petition attracted over 100,000 signatures in six weeks.[58] The GetUp! petition contained 140,285 signatures.[59][60]

The ACL attracted controversy after Wallace tweeted on Anzac Day in 2011: "Just hope that as we remember servicemen and women today we remember the Australia they fought for – wasn't gay marriage and Islamic!"[61][62] Wallace was heavily criticised on Twitter for his comments,[63][64][65][66] and received criticism from other Christian leaders.[67] In response an online petition was started encouraging Australian Christians to state that the ACL does not represent their views. The petition was signed by over 250 people in its first 24 hours.[68] Wallace later deleted his comment[65] and apologised for its "ill timed" nature, but stood by the sentiment he expressed in the comment.[62]

The ACL was involved in the National Marriage Day rally in 2011. Conflicting sources report the ACL as either a co-founder of the rally[69][70] or just a supporter.[71] The ACL's Jim Wallace told those who attended that there was, "a need to end the pejorative language framing this debate."[71] Guest speakers at the rally stated gay marriage should be "laughed at and ridiculed, and stated that same-sex marriage would allow unions between pedophiles and children, comments which were seen as damaging to the mental health of young same-sex attracted people, leading to calls for ACL to distance itself from such statements.[69][72]

In 2011, ACL joined a coalition of churches called the Committee for the Preservation of Marriage. They circulated a summary of their stance to politicians, stating that the preservation of the "unique meaning of marriage" is "not of special or limited interest, but serves the common good, particularly the good of children". The document was endorsed by 50 national church leaders from the Anglican, Catholic, Christian Reformed Churches of Australia, Lutheran, Orthodox, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Salvation Army, Seventh Day Adventist Church and a faction of the Uniting Church.[73]

In February 2012 a bill was introduced to the South Australian Legislative Council to legalise same-sex marriage. ACL lobbied against the bill by raising a number of concerns including its impact on religious freedom and stating that children, "will have to be taught that homosexuality is the same as heterosexuality."[74]

In April–May 2012, the ACL made submissions to the House of Representatives[75] and Australian Senate[49] relating to the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2012 and the Marriage Amendment Bill 2012.

On 4 May 2012, Wallace appeared before the Australian Senate, Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee during their consideration of the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2010, stating the ACL's position.[76]

On 19 September 2012, the House of Representatives voted against the bill.[77][78] A second bill was defeated later that month in the federal Senate,[79] with a third bill defeated in the Tasmanian Parliament a week later.[80]

In April 2013 a proposal was put forward for a 14 September referendum to ask a question regarding the recognition of same-sex marriage. ACL and other Christian groups supported the proposal. There were divisions amongst same-sex marriage advocates over the referendum proposal.[81]

In July 2013 a same-sex marriage bill was introduced into the South Australian Lower House. ACL lobbied against the bill. The bill was defeated.[82][83]

On 13 September 2013 a bill was introduced into the ACT Legislative Assembly to legalise same-sex marriage. ACL lobbied against the bill.[84] On 22 October the ACT bill was passed into law with the first same-sex marriage being held in Canberra on 7 December 2013. ACL raised concerns about the impact on children.[85]

In October 2013 a bill was re-introduced into the Tasmanian Upper House to legalise same-sex marriage. ACL lobbied against the bill. The bill was defeated.[86][87]

In November 2013 a bill was introduced into the NSW Upper House to legalise same-sex marriage. ACL lobbied against the bill.[88] On 14 November 2013 the bill was defeated.[89][90]

On 12 December 2013 the High Court of Australia unanimously struck down the ACT's same-sex marriage laws, declaring ACT same-sex marriages are invalid. ACL said that the ruling maintained the uniformity of Australian marriage laws. ACL managing director Lyle Shelton said, "marriage between a man and a woman is good for society and beneficial for governments to uphold in legislation".[91][92]

Polygamy

Polygamy is practised informally within Australia.[93][94] The Greens faced a backlash from polyamorists when they ruled out supporting legislation to allow multiple marriages. ACL has accused the Greens of hypocrisy, because they believe the logic that the Greens use to argue for marriage equality should extend to people who have multiple partners.[95] Bisexual Alliance Victoria president James Dominguez said he is "horrified" his comments are being used against the push for marriage equality. Further Australian Marriage Equality national convenor Alex Greenwich said the ACL had no arguments left except fear. "The ACL's scaremongering is a sign of desperation and will be rejected by the majority of fair-minded Australians who want their gay friends and family members to be able to share in... marriage", he said.[96]

Surrogacy

In May 2012, a judgement by the NSW Supreme Court ruled that two men are the legal parents of baby born via surrogacy, after the birth mother consented to relinquish her recognition on the birth certificate. Legal experts expected more applications for parentage transfers based on the decision by Justice Paul Brereton.[97][98]

The ACL responded to the court decision by calling for governments to repeal laws which allow single people or same-sex couples to "acquire babies" by surrogacy. In a statement, Wallace said "Babies should not be created to satisfy the lifestyle choices of singles and same-sex couples" and further that "This selfish gay agenda knows no reasonable limits and it is time that political leaders began imposing limits on them to protect the most fundamental rights of children to a mother and a father."[97]

In another surrogacy case, where an estranged female partner was given precedence over the biological father on a birth certificate, the ACL lobbied the NSW Government to have biological details included on birth certificates, on the grounds that removing these details could be damaging to children and their biological parents.[99]

In a third case, the birth mother expressed profound regret at having entered into a surrogacy arrangement.[100] In response, ACL lobbied the Queensland Government. When the government announced that it would adjust the previous surrogacy legislation to exclude same sex couples, the Queensland ACL branch director, Wendy Francis, said that she was subject to a barrage of abusive and pornographic emails and mobile phone calls.[101]

Poverty and justice

ACL Chief of Staff Lyle Shelton has stated that poker machines are "causing incredible hardship to children and to families right across this nation and needs to be tackled".[102] In an effort to minimise harm associated with poker machines, the ACL has supported a trial for mandatory pre-commitment scheme.[103] The ACL has worked with GetUp!, the Salvation Army and the Churches Gambling Taskforce to establish the Stop The Loss Coalition which has launched TV and radio commercials designed to assist in, "say(ing) 'no more' to the $12 billion pokies industry and the dreadful harm they inflict on hundreds of thousand of Australians".[104]

ACL has worked with Micah Challenge to reduce third world poverty and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals on halving global poverty by 2012.[105] In May 2012, Wallce said: "That we have both major parties abandoning their commitment to the world's poorest is a sad commentary on the level of both integrity and compassion in a Parliament Australians are increasingly losing confidence in."[106]

The ACL has called on the federal government to pressure Egypt to protect religious minorities such as the Copts.[107]

ACL asked that the ACT government's proposed religious vilification bill be shelved or abandoned, claiming the legislation will undermine freedom of speech and lead to drawn out legal battles.[108]

Youth and education

ACL has established a leadership program targeting 18 to 26-year-old young people. The Compass program is a joint-initiative between ACL and the Compass Foundation, based in New Zealand. The program includes mentoring and coaching of young Christians aged 15 to 20 years, to assist them into strategic and influential positions in their professions so they can serve Christ and have "a disproportionate impact for the Gospel".[109]

ACL has provided input into the formulation of the proposed Australian National Curriculum.[110] ACL lobbied against proposal to replace the terms Before Christ (BC) and Anno Domini (AD) with Before the Common Era (BCE) and Common Era (CE).[111] The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority later stated they would change the explanatory material to specify the BC and AD should still be taught as well as CE and BCE.[112]

In response to a broadening of Federal school chaplaincy funding, Jim Wallace said that "It's not that schools shouldn't have secular student welfare workers but this should not have come from the pool of money promised to the National School Chaplaincy Program during the 2010 election campaign."[113]

Censorship

In January 2012 the ACL criticised Cineplex Australia for displaying a live uncensored Twitter feed on its website, after comments which included swearing and jokes about bestiality appeared in the feed. Cineplex Australia subsequently removed the live feed, acknowledging "It shouldn't be on there."[114]

The ACL constantly lobbied against efforts to introduce an R18+ classification for video games.[61] They wanted the video game Sniper Elite V2 banned in Australia, describing the game as "sick".[115]

The video gaming community is critical of the ACL's stance against R18+ video games.[116][117] A commentator stated that the fact the Catholic Church was in favour of introducing R18+ video games and the ACL was not proved "once and for all" that the ACL do not represent all people of Christian faith.[118] According to ACL, violence in video games leads to antisocial behaviour.[119] The government announced in June 2012 that an R18+ category for video games would be introduced on 1 January 2013, "bringing Australia into line with the rest of the world".[120] The ACL subsequently lobbied for the new R18+ classification to allow no more sex and violence than the MA15+ classification,[120] though they were unsuccessful.[119]

The ACL was one of the primary supporters of Senator Stephen Conroy's proposed mandatory Internet blacklist.[121] The ACL sought to extend the blacklist to filter all pornographic materials and not just materials which are considered inappropriate for children (the original reason for the blacklist's creation). An Australian citizen who wanted to download pornographic material via the internet would then have had to request that their internet service provider unblock the filter.[122] One day prior to the government announcement of a delay to the implementation of the internet filter scheme, the ACL was briefed leading to some criticism of their "disproportionate influence" on the filtering policy.[123] In November 2012, after years of debate, the federal government formally abandoned its attempts to introduce the internet filter, a move that disappointed the ACL.[124]

Outdoor advertising

ACL has lobbied for all outdoor advertising to be G rated.[125] In May 2011 the advertising agency Adshel pulled a series of billboards from circulation in Brisbane following what has been described as a coordinated campaign from the ACL.[126] The advertisements, which were encouraging safe sex, featured a fully clothed, hugging gay couple holding an unopened condom packet. Under a second unopened condom packet, was the name of the advertisement campaign, "Rip & Roll".[127] Adshel's CEO stated they removed the billboards after receiving around 30 complaints and that "None of the complaints indicated any liaison with the Australian Christian Lobby, so Adshel was made to believe that they originated from individual members of the public". The billboards were reinstated following counter-protests of their removal and revelations that the ACL was responsible for the campaign. When the ACL was accused of homophobia, an ACL representative publicly stated their complaints had nothing to do with homosexuality and that they opposed "the sexual nature of the ads". However, several of the individual complaints to Adshel suggested the ads would "encourage homosexuality".[128] Following the controversy, the Queensland ACL branch director, Wendy Francis, said that she was subject to a barrage of abusive and pornographic emails and mobile phone calls.[129] Both major political parties voiced support for the ads. State treasurer Andrew Fraser said complaints about the ad were homophobic[130] and Healthy Communities executive director Paul Martin accused the ACL of trying to have gay people "erased from the public sphere".[131] More than 90,000 people joined a Facebook group supporting the ads following the ACL's actions.[127] The ACL's actions backfired further with several advertising agencies deciding to run the ads free of charge.[132]

In response to a November 2013 petition on outdoor advertising by the ACL's which gathered 1399 signatures, Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie said that he recognises the challenges for parents in trying to restrict children's exposure to sexually explicit images and slogans. The Queensland Government has said it will assess whether there is a need for legislative reform of outdoor advertising.[133] In January 2014 the bipartisan Inquiry into Sexually Explicit Outdoor Advertising recommended an industry body be set up to sanction advertisers, with the Queensland Attorney-General having the power to '‘pre-vet'’ outdoor ads.[134] The chairman of the inquiry referred to controls needed in response to, '‘rogue companies that do not act in the best interest of their communities'’.[135]

ACL campaigned against a Sydney billboard which displayed a man simulating sex with a pig. The billboard was removed by its owners who apologised for any offence.[136][137] Thousands of copies of associated newspaper supplements were also pulped, reported as a significant cost to the advertiser.[138]

Abortion & Euthanasia

The ACL is pro-life and has lobbied for the repeal of legislation that sanctions abortion on demand. ACL has sponsored Gianna Jessen, an 'abortion survivor' to come to Australia to talk about her experiences and to lobby federal politicians ahead of a Senate debate on late-term abortions.[139]

The ACL lobbies against moves to legalise euthanasia by various territory, state and federal jurisdictions.[140][141] ACL claims the cheapening of human life by the promotion of suicide options, could lead to dangerous scenarios where healthy people could end their lives for comparatively trivial reasons such as a relationship break up.[142]

Prostitution

The ACL lobbies against prostitution.[143] ACL's concerns regarding current arrangements were outlined in a submission to the ACT Legislative Assembly – Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety.[144]

In April 2012, in a Canberra Court, a woman was found guilty of intentionally possessing a sex-slave.[145] In October 2012, ACL made a submission to the House of Representatives Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, Human Rights Sub‐Committee Inquiry into Slavery, Slavery like conditions and People Trafficking. The ACL issued a stement claiming "Australia is considered a destination for sex trafficking by the US Department of State, which noted in 2010 that women from Southeast Asia, China, and South Korea may come to Australia voluntarily to work in both legal and illegal brothels, but under conditions that amounted to debt bondage or sexual servitude." In response to this issue, ACL has made a number of recommendations.[146]

In 2014, ACL's Queensland Director, Wendy Francis, was part of a joint parliamentary, fact-finding delegation to examine the Swedish model of prostitution law, with a view to consider its possible adaptation for Australia.[147]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Historical details for ABN: 40 075 120 517, Australian Business Register (historical details), retrieved 14 November 2011
  2. ↑ Sharpe, Brad (25 January 2001). "Business of God". Australia: Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  3. ↑ Historical details for ABN: 40 075120517, ASIC, retrieved 15 November 2011
  4. ↑ Political Expenditure Return – 2009–10, AEC, retrieved 15 November 2011
  5. ↑ Viewpoint, Viewpoint, retrieved 14 June 2012
  6. ↑ Media Releases, ACL, retrieved 15 November 2011
  7. ↑ Newsletters, ACL, retrieved 15 November 2011
  8. ↑ "Our staff". Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 The Australian Christian Lobby, ABC Radio National, retrieved 4 May 2013
  10. ↑ About ACL, 2010, retrieved 23 October 2010
  11. ↑ ABC Compass Social Issues, ABC, 2000, retrieved 1 October 2012
  12. ↑ Stevenson, Chrys (23 September 2011). "Is the Australian Christian Lobby Dominionist?". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
  13. ↑ Benson, Rod (19 September 2011), "Faith and Politics: Dismantling Stevenson's Dominionist Conspiracy", Australian Broadcasting Corporation, retrieved 25 October 2011
  14. ↑ Wallace, Jim (23 September 2011), "Exposing Chrys Stevenson's Blind Faith", Australian Broadcasting Corporation, retrieved 25 October 2011
  15. ↑ Warhurst, John (2006). "Religion in 21 st Century Australian National Politics" (PDF). Papers on Parliament (Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia. The Senate) 46: 61–80. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  16. ↑ Transcript – Australian Conference (PDF), National Library of Australia, 2007, retrieved 24 October 2011
  17. ↑ Here God is anything but dead, SMH, 22 June 2010, retrieved 23 October 2010
  18. ↑ Zwartz, Barney (6 August 2010), Gillard bid to win back Christians, The Age, retrieved 18 August 2012
  19. ↑ Dennis Shanahan (5 April 2011), Julia Gillard reaches out to Christian leaders, The Australian, retrieved 18 November 2011
  20. ↑ Stephens, Scott (10 August 2010), The Prime Minister puts her faith in chaplaincy, ABC, retrieved 18 August 2012
  21. ↑ Lester, Tim (6 September 2012). "'It's all in the packaging'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
  22. ↑ Harrison, Dan (6 September 2012). "Gillard singes Christian Lobby over 'offensive' gay remark". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  23. ↑ Harrison, Dan; Ireland, Judith (September 7, 2012). "Gay slur sparks Gillard boycott of Christian event". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Nasty debate 'un-Australian': McClelland, Brisbane Times, 6 October 2012, retrieved 6 October 2012
  25. ↑ Dan Harrison (11 September 2012). "Anglican archbishop backs Christian lobby's gay views". SMH. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  26. ↑ van Gend, David (19 September 2012). "Unhealthy notions". Mercator Net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  27. ↑ Cook, Michael (6 September 2012). "Touching the third rail: gay health". Mercator Net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Crook, Andrew (September 6, 2012). "Get Fact: do gays have more health problems than smokers?". Crikey.
  29. ↑ Karvelas, Patricia (30 October 2014). "Bill Shorten’s description of Christians ‘wide of the mark’". The Australian. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  30. ↑ Warhurst, John (29 October 2014). "Pressure groups and the lessons political leaders should learn". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  31. ↑ Nicholls, Sean (4 March 2015). "Mike Baird's emotional public moment during election policy forum". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  32. ↑ ACL welcomes NSW political leaders' commitments, Catholic News, 16 February 2011, retrieved 4 February 2012
  33. ↑ Christian lobby wins first political debate, ABC, 24 September 2011, retrieved 4 February 2012
  34. ↑ Poll Call: 3 February, Brisbane Times, 3 February 2012, retrieved 4 February 2012
  35. ↑ "Leaders quizzed by church leaders on gay marriage, euthanasia and same-sex marriage". Perth Now. 27 February 2013. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  36. ↑ 'Make it Count WA': Deputy Premier and Opposition Leader to address Christian voters, Christian Today, 21 August 2008, retrieved 4 February 2012
  37. ↑ 'Make it Count Tasmania': Premier and Opposition Leader to address Christian voters, Christian Today, 2 February 2010, retrieved 4 February 2012
  38. ↑ Guy, Russell (13 August 2012), Real Action in the wrong direction?, Alice Springs News, retrieved 18 August 2012
  39. ↑ Christians 'disappointed' Stanhope will miss debate, The Canberra Times, 11 September 2008, retrieved 4 February 2012
  40. ↑ Christian 'Meet Your Candidate' Forum in key Brisbane Seats, Christian Today, 18 March 2009, retrieved 4 February 2012
  41. ↑ "Submissions". The Australian Christian Lobby. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  42. ↑ Falling marriage rates hurting children: report, Melbourne: The Age, 6 September 2011, retrieved 27 October 2011
  43. ↑ David Marr (12 February 2011), 'Appalling' law lets schools expel gay students, Sydney Morning Herald, retrieved 13 February 2011
  44. ↑ ACL Submission to the Australian Human Rights Commission – Protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and sex and/or gender identity (PDF), November 2010, retrieved 26 October 2011
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 "Christian Lobby analysis reveals strong gay focus". Brisbane Times. 9 June 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  46. ↑ "PM shrugs off Obama's gay marriage support". WAtoday. 10 May 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 Willingham, Richard (November 5, 2010). "Christian lobby rails against gay advisory body". Melbourne: The Age. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  48. ↑ Government should reject Australian Human Rights Commission's suggestion to repeal Marriage Act, Christian Today, 2011, retrieved 23 October 2011
  49. ↑ 49.0 49.1 49.2 49.3 "Submission 147 to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Concerning the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2010". Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  50. ↑ Holman, Jacob (27 April 2012). "Australia edges closer to a gay old time at the altar". The Punch. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  51. ↑ Patricia Karvelas (7 February 2011), Same-sex first, then polygamy, The Australian, retrieved 27 October 2011
  52. ↑ "Christian lobby 'getting desperate'". Star Observer. 7 February 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  53. ↑ Katherine Spackman, Senate's donor conception report highlights issues ignored in gay marriage debate, Australian Christian Lobby, retrieved 13 February 2011
  54. ↑ "Same-sex marriage showdown". Seven Sunrise. 6 June 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  55. ↑ Dan Harrison (7 June 2012). "Seven's 'I do' role draws complaint". SMH. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  56. ↑ "MPs debate gay marriage". ABC. 24 August 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  57. ↑ "52,000 Australians sign Senate marriage petition". ACL. 24 August 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  58. ↑ Strong support for marriage petition (PDF), NSW Council of Churches, 4 December 2011, retrieved 28 February 2012
  59. ↑ Katter brother boosts same-sex marriage, SMH, 24 August 2011, retrieved 28 February 2012
  60. ↑ Gay marriage petition presented to ALP conference, The Sydney Morning Herald, 2 December 2012, retrieved 8 October 2012
  61. ↑ 61.0 61.1 Serrels, Mark (13 May 2011). "The ACL: Why Do They Exist, Why Do We Listen, And Why Should We Care?". Kotaku. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
  62. ↑ 62.0 62.1 Packham, Ben (16 April 2011). "Christian lobbyist sorry for gays, Islam tweet". The Australian. Archived from the original on 12 July 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  63. ↑ Kwek, Glenda (25 April 2011). "Christian leader sorry for Anzac tweets". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  64. ↑ Salsone, Kieran (25 April 2011). "Lobbyist in Anzac Twitter gaffe". The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  65. ↑ 65.0 65.1 Ramadge, Andrew (25 April 2011). "Australian Christian Lobby chief Jim Wallace's Anzac Day slur sparks outrage". News.com.au. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  66. ↑ Masters, Stephanie (25 April 2011). "Jim Wallace from Australian Christian Lobby causes Anzac Day outrage with anti-gay, anti-Muslim Twitter message". The Advertiser. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  67. ↑ "Wallace slammed by clergy". Star Observer. 26 April 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  68. ↑ "Christians turn back on lobby". starobserver.com.au. 28 April 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  69. ↑ 69.0 69.1 "Anger over rally to ridicule gay marriage". The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 August 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  70. ↑ Van Onselen, Peter (20 August 2011). "Gays denied human rights". The Australian. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  71. ↑ 71.0 71.1 "ACL supports National Marriage Day Canberra". International News Magazine. 16 August 2011. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
  72. ↑ "Gay marriage ridicule 'damages youths'". The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 August 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
  73. ↑ Submission 4512 to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Concerning the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2010, APH Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, 4 May 2012, retrieved 17 May 2012
  74. ↑ Dunkin, Alex (14 November 2012). "ACL enters SA marriage debate". Gay News Network. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  75. ↑ "House of Representatives, Inquiry into the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2012 and the Marriage Amendment Bill 2012, Published responses–Response 21". House of Representatives, House Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs. April 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  76. ↑ "Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Witness statements". Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  77. ↑ Christian Lobby welcomes gay vote defeat, Herald Sun, 19 September 2012, retrieved 1 October 2012
  78. ↑ Gay marriage bill defeated, Brisbane Times, 19 September 2012, retrieved 1 October 2012
  79. ↑ Australia votes against redefining marriage, The Christian Institute, 20 September 2012, retrieved 1 October 2012
  80. ↑ MPs vow new gay unions bid, The Mercury, 29 September 2012, retrieved 1 October 2012
  81. ↑ Aston, Heath (29 April 2013). "Christian groups welcome gay marriage referendum". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  82. ↑ "SA same-sex marriage bill defeated". NineMSN. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  83. ↑ "Same-sex marriage bill voted down in South Australian parliament". ABC. 25 July 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  84. ↑ Karvelas, Patricia (14 September 2013). "Christians urge overrule of gay-marriage law". The Australian. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  85. ↑ "First same-sex marriages take place". News Ltd. 7 December 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  86. ↑ Smith, Matt (10 October 2013). "Tasmania law reform paper fuels same-sex marriage argument ahead of parliamentary debate". The Mercury. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  87. ↑ Smiley, Stephen (26 November 2013). "Tasmanian Upper House rejects bid to revive marriage debate". ABC. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  88. ↑ Australian Christian Lobby (1 March 2013). "Submission to the NSW Legislative Council Standing Committee on Social Issues" (PDF). NSW Parliament. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  89. ↑ Farrow, Lauren (14 November 2013). "NSW same-sex bill defeated tears in parly". The Australian. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  90. ↑ "NSW MP continues defence of marriage". Catholic Leader. 10 November 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  91. ↑ Wilson, Lauren (12 December 2013). "High Court strikes down ACT gay marriage law". The Australian. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
  92. ↑ Inman, Michael (12 December 2013). "Same-sex marriage laws overturned by High Court". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
  93. ↑ "Welcome to Polyamory Australia". Retrieved 12 December 2012.
  94. ↑ Higgins, Ean (10 December 2011). "Three in marriage bed more of a good thing". The Australian. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  95. ↑ Tory Shepherd (29 May 2012). "Confessions of a polygamist: A man's love for two sistersl". news.com. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  96. ↑ "Bisexual advocate dismisses ACL link". The Star Observer. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
  97. ↑ 97.0 97.1 "Christian group condemns two dads couple". Australia. Bulletin Wire. 1 June 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  98. ↑ "Two-dads decision opens the floodgate". Sydney, Australia. Daily Telegraph. 2 June 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  99. ↑ "Inquiry into inclusion of donor details on the register of births" (PDF). NSW Parliament. 17 February 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  100. ↑ Inquiry into the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2012 and the Marriage Amendment Bill 2012–Submission 21, page 13, Australian Parliament House, retrieved 11 December 2012
  101. ↑ Christian lobbyist weathers barrage of abuse, Brisbane Times, 24 June 2012, retrieved 23 April 2014
  102. ↑ Wilkie insists poker machine deal still holds, ABC, 18 January 2012, retrieved 19 January 2012
  103. ↑ Christian lobby attacks Tony Abbott over poker machine reform, The Australian, 27 October 2011, retrieved 27 October 2011
  104. ↑ Richard Willingham (29 February 2012). "Wilkie threat to vote against 'weak' pokie reform bill". SMH. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  105. ↑ "Tony Jones talks to Jim Wallace from the Australian Christian Lobby". ABC. 10 August 2007.
  106. ↑ Bianca Hall (11 May 2012). "Coalition won't keep aid commitment". SMH. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  107. ↑ Australia must pressure Egyptian Government to protect Christians, ACL says, Australian Conservative, 18 August 2011, retrieved 18 November 2011
  108. ↑ Lisa Cox (22 August 2012), Christian lobby takes govt to task, The Canberra Times, retrieved 1 October 2012
  109. ↑ Interview – David Yates, Compass Australia Coordinator, Christian Today, 3 December 2007, retrieved 27 October 2011
  110. ↑ Submission – Draft K‐10 Australian Curriculum (PDF), 28 May 2010, retrieved 1 November 2011
  111. ↑ No more 'Before Christ', 6PR – Perth, 8 September 2011, retrieved 1 November 2011
  112. ↑ Christian group applauds saving of AD, BC, Ninemsn news, 21 October 2011, retrieved 1 November 2011
  113. ↑ Jim Wallace (31 May 2012). "The lobbyist's view: Secularising school chaplaincy". Sight Magazine. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  114. ↑ Donoughue, Paul (22 January 2012), "Tweets offend: Cineplex pulls feed", The Sunday Mail (Qld), retrieved 22 January 2012
  115. ↑ "Christian lobby wants Hitler sniper game banned". news.com. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  116. ↑ Allen, Danny (9 August 2011). "Australian Census: A Vote For Jedi Is A Vote For Jim Wallace". Gizmodo. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
  117. ↑ Ray, Jeremy (9 December 2010). "Australian Christian Lobby ... I disown thee". The Punch. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
  118. ↑ Serrels, Mark (26 May 2011). "Australian Catholic Bishops Welcomes The Draft R18+ Guidelines". Kotaku. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
  119. ↑ 119.0 119.1 Polites, Harrison (12 July 2013). "Why R18+ ratings are still a losing game". Business Spectator. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  120. ↑ 120.0 120.1 Cauchi, Stephen (24 June 2012). "Call for strict line on R18+ games". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  121. ↑ ACL Confirms Porn Filter Stance – Christianity Today, retrieved 1 April 2009
  122. ↑ "Christians upset at Conroy's net policy 'backtrack'", The Sydney Morning Herald, 27 May 2009, archived from the original on 15 June 2009, retrieved 3 July 2009
  123. ↑ Fran Foo (20 July 2010), Concern at lobby group's influence as Christians get filter plan tip-off, The Australian, retrieved 20 July 2010
  124. ↑ Coorey, Phillip (10 November 2012). "Opposition welcomes dumping of Labor's internet filter scheme". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  125. ↑ "Wendy Francis on the Political Spot about Qld investigating G-Rated outdoor advertising". Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  126. ↑ Canning, Simon (1 June 2011). "AdShel backtracks on billboard ban". The Australian. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
  127. ↑ 127.0 127.1 "Australia's most complained about ad Rip & Roll safe sex campaign returns". News Ltd. 12 August 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  128. ↑ "Adshel reinstates gay HIV awareness billboard ad after Michael O'Brien's Facebook campaign". News.com.au. 1 June 2011. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
  129. ↑ "ACL QLD director receives abusive language and cyberbullying for campaigning against sexualized billboard". Christian Today. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  130. ↑ Sheldrick, Drew (7 June 2011). "Storm in a bus shelter". starobserver.com.au. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
  131. ↑ "Adshel reinstates safe sex ad after removal sparked online backlash". Herald Sun. 1 June 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
  132. ↑ Nancarrow, Dan (6 June 2011). "Bid to ban gay safe sex ad backfires further". brisbanetimes.com.au. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
  133. ↑ Feeney, Katherine (4 April 2013). "'G-rating' rule for Queensland's outdoor advertising?". The Brisbane Times. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  134. ↑ Robyn Ironside (1 February 2014). "New laws may crack down on sexually explicit billboards". The Courier Mail. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  135. ↑ "Attorney-General could vet billboards". Brisbane Times. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  136. ↑ Lallo, Michael (1 May 2013). "'Appalling taste': Foxtel to remove bestiality billboard". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  137. ↑ "Bestiality billboard pulled after outrage". Yahoo. 1 May 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  138. ↑ Leys, Nick (3 May 2013). "The Age and SMH forced to pulp supplements over Foxtel ad". The Australian. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  139. ↑ Abortion survivor joins debate, Melbourne: The Age, 31 August 2008, retrieved 27 October 2011
  140. ↑ Submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee's Inquiry into the Rights of the Terminally Ill (Euthanasia Laws Repeal) Bill 2008 (PDF), APH, March 2009, retrieved 23 October 2011
  141. ↑ Smith, Matt (13 March 2013). "Euthanasia laws spark debate". The Mercury. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  142. ↑ Mounster, Bruce (17 February 2012), Nitschke visit stirs debate, The Mercury, retrieved 28 February 2012
  143. ↑ Bianca Hall (13 January 2012), Sex in the ACT: Part II, Canberra Times, retrieved 19 January 2012
  144. ↑ "Inquiry into the Prostitution Act 1992" (PDF). ACT Legislative Assembly–Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety. February 2012.
  145. ↑ "Sex slave conviction raises more questions - ACL". Herald Sun. 12 April 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
  146. ↑ "Inquiry into Slavery, Slavery-like conditions and People Trafficking – Submission 42". House of Representatives. October 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
  147. ↑ Austin, Steve (8 May 2014). "Investigating prostitution". ABC. Retrieved 9 May 2014.

External links