Australian marriage equality advocates are welcoming Labor leader Bill Shorten’s powerful support for marriage equality, which came a gathering of an anti-gay group. In a keynote address at the Australian Christian Lobby's national conference, the opposition Leader re-affirmed his support for marriage equality and called for respect of the diversity that exists in Australia. "Australia is full of decent and generous people of good conscience, drawn from all faiths and none. And no faith, no religion, no set of beliefs should ever be used as an instrument of division or exclusion,” he said. "In our society, under our laws, whether we be Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists or athiests - we are all Australians and we are all equal,” Shorten continued. "So when I hear people invoking scriptures to attack blended families, I cannot stay silent. I do not agree. When I see people hiding behind the bible to insult and demonise people based on their sexuality I cannot stay silent, I do not agree. "When I hear people allege that 'God tells them' that marriage equality is the first step on the road to polygamy and bigamy and bestiality ...I cannot stay silent. I do not agree. "These prejudices do not reflect the Christian values I believe in." It is the first time a leader of either major political party has used the forum to challenge the agenda of the conservative lobby group. Australian Marriage Equality acting director Ivan Hinton-Teoh says Australian Christians in support of marriage equality will be heartened to hear a political leader share in their values. "It is powerful moment in our national history that a political leader, an affirmed Christian, has had both the confidence and conviction to use this forum to reflect the true diversity of Christian views,” he says. "Many members of the Coalition share similar values to the majority of Australians and we call of the Federal Government to allow a marriage equality free vote so this parliament can genuinely reflect the support that exists for this important reform."
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Sunday, 26th October 2014 - 10:10am