Homosexual Push

Homosexual groups are ramping up their cause in 2010 which they are calling the “Year of Action for Same Sex Marriage”. The campaign will be launched on Nov 28 in Perth, Brisbane, Canberra, Lismore, Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney. The launch will be two days after a senate inquiry into the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill is due to be tabled.

For more: http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=16744

Hard divorce

Tony Abbott made the news when he said last week that divorce should be made harder in Australia. The Liberal Families and Aboriginal Affairs Spokesman, a Catholic, called for a return to the fault-based system of divorce discarded in 1975. The ideas are contained in his new book “Battlelines”. Former WA Premier Peter Dowding, who is a divorce lawyer, said Abbotts proposal was ludicrous.

For more: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25767454-29277,00.html

For Dowding: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/14/2625441.htm

For another take: http://blogocrats.wordpress.com/2009/07/12/the-monks-tales/

The authors of the report that came from the National Youth Commission Inquiry into Youth Homelessness 2007, David MacKenzie and David Eldridge have argued that no-fault divorce has led to the emergence of youth homelessness in Australia since 1975. For more: <a http://apo.org.au/commentary/roof-over-every-head“>href=”http://apo.org.au/commentary/roof-over-every-head”>http://apo.org.au/commentary/roof-over-every-head

Meanwhile a US study in the Journal of Family Psychology has found that couples living together before marriage stand a higher chance of divorce. For more: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25784900-23109,00.html

Marriage attacks

The Australian Christian Lobby reports that gay activists are strongly campaigning the ALP to overturn its support for marriage between a man and woman. It will be discussed at the ALP national conference at the end of this month. Rainbow Labor is proposing homosexual marriages. For more: http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/lifematters/pm-faces-stoush-over-gay-marriage-20090713-ditp.html

Action: ACL is calling on people to contact their Federal Labor MP letting them know you don’t support undermining marriage. (For more on attacks on marriage and ways to get involved see Submission 4 below)

For contact details House of Reps: http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/mi-party.asp

Senate: http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/senators/homepages/index.asp?sort=party

Marriage Week, September 13-19, 2009

Churches are invited to take part in Marriage Week Sept 13-19, 2009. The annual week seeks to promote and reinforce the importance of marriage and increase awareness and value of pre-marriage and in-marriage education. Last year Churches across the country took part. See: http://marriageweek.org.au/index.htm

Aug 13: Inaugural National Marriage Day

The Inaugural National Marriage Day is to be held Aug 13, 2009. in “promoting a renewed culture of marriage within our nation”. The day will include a breakfast at the Great Hall, Parliament House Canberra. The organisers are also to submit a petition calling for August 13 to be dedicated as National Marriage Day.
For more: http://www.marriageday.org.au/

Labor’s marriage

The Australian Christian Lobby says that the Labor Party has reaffirmed its commitment to marriage between a man and woman in its draft national platform. The party is consulting its members on the policies in the lead-up to its July national conference. The ACL welcomed the marriage platform being restated in Labor’s draft platform and looks forward to this being reaffirmed in its national conference. The party will be holding a consultation in Perth on May 6. See page 92 of the Labor document for details: http://alp.org.au/download/now/consultation_draft_national_platform.pdf

Family support

Families Minister Jenny Macklin said the Federal Government would spend $100m over 2 years to assist families dealing with relationship difficulties including $9.7m for support in WA. The services will be delivered through 60 early intervention services, 40 family relationship centres and 30 post separation services. See: http://www.jennymacklin.fahcsia.gov.au/internet/jennymacklin.nsf/content/100m_famcare22april09.htm

Marriage equality

Lobby group Australian Marriage Equality (AME) is developing a database of employers that recognise the same-sex ‘marriage’ of their employees. Westpac/St George was the latest to join the list. AME said it was calling on the Australian Government to also join its employers list which includes ANZ, CWB, Qantas, Air Canada, Seek and Telstra.
To see the list and find out more: http://www.australianmarriageequality.com/employers.htm

Action: Saltshakers is asking people to write to these companies, especially if you do business with them. Ask them not to recognise same-sex ‘marriages’ since the Australian Government has, at present, refused to grant legal recognition of overseas same-sex ‘marriages’. Ask them why they are going against the laws of this nation and undermining the Government’s position.