This weekend’s Victorian election is promising to be a tight race, with the Coalition government at risk of losing power and becoming Victoria’s first one-term government in over 40 years.
A range of issues are playing out in this election including abortion, homosexuality and religious freedom.
Labor leader Daniel Andrews has promised that he will apologise to same-sex attracted people who had convictions recorded against them. Mr Andrews is also planning to reinstate the previous Brumby Labor government’s “equal opportunity” law, which will prevent religious organisations from refusing to hire people who disagree with their faith, a law that the Napthine government repealed.
The Napthine government, along with Labor, has promised not to make any changes to Victoria’s abortion law that allows abortion up to birth.
Two Nationals MP’s have been caught up in controversy surrounding abortion. In a move against the traditional National-Liberal coalition, Nationals candidate for Buninyong Sonia Smith will not preference her fellow Liberal candidate Ben Taylor, citing opposition to his pro-life views.
At an Australian Christian Lobby candidates forum, Mr Taylor said, “In Victoria we’ve probably gone a little bit too far when you start talking post-20-week abortions through to birth.”
In the Upper House, The Democratic Labour Party, while typically considered a pro-life party, has done preference deals with pro-abortion candidates.
Meanwhile Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart, along with other religious leaders in Victoria have called out Labor Leader Daniel Andrews for his promise to reinstate the anti-discrimination clause in the Equal Opportunity Act for religious organisations, asking Labor to leave equal opportunity laws as they are.
“Many people who work in religious schools, religious hospitals and aged care homes as well as in religious providers to the needy in our community, consider their role not just as an employee but as a type of religious vocation,’ Archbishop Hart said.
He was echoed by other Christian leaders, including Presbyterian Convener Reverend Darren Middleton, who added, “Proposals to change the equal opportunity laws would allow judges to decide fundamental doctrines, beliefs and principles of a faith to religious bodies.”
“We regard this as an anathema in a society that believes in the principle of religious freedom,” Reverend Middleton said.
