In August 2010 Julia Gillard accepted an invitation to meet Brigadier Jim Wallace (retd), leader of the Australian Christian Lobby.
Wallace later said “she went out of her way to engage with the Christian constituency … acknowledged the importance of Australia’s Christian heritage … made strong commitments … to continue and expand the popular school chaplaincy program … [and] to retain the definition of marriage.”
In April this year Wallace facilitated one of an ongoing series of meetings with Christian leaders where Gillard was warned that any concessions to “homosexual activists and their advocates” at the ALP national conference would lose the Christian vote and with it the next election.
They also ruled out any compromise, warning her “that civil unions or civil partnerships were not an acceptable alternative” as they would undermine traditional marriage.
As always, the prime minister, described as “gracious and frank”, reassured them that the fact that she did not share their beliefs, did not mean she did not share their views, especially on marriage. Which is going to make conversation round the table a bit sticky in a week or two’s time, when she hosts a dinner party at the Lodge for three same-sex couples who want to get married.
Oddly enough, while she will fling herself with gay abandon into the arms of Jim Wallace or Cardinal Pell, the GLBTI community has had to stump up $31,100 for the chance of a chat with her by buying the time at a charity auction.
Because, far from being “gracious and frank”, the PM has to date consistently and rudely gone out of her way to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to requests to meet with the gay community or talk to gay media.
Yet she has gay and lesbian friends and employees, who all assert vigorously — but strictly off the record — that in private, she shares their belief that same-sex couples should be able to marry.
Quite how one remains friends with a woman who publicly trashes your aspirations, while shamelessly relying on you not to expose her hypocrisy, is beyond me.
It seems to me the majority of Australians sense that on this, as on many other issues, Gillard is going against her instincts, beliefs and nature, rendering her public performances flat, lifeless and wooden.
The best one can say of her is that she is an unenthusiastic and unconvincing liar. Ironically, it is her inability to lie with conviction that is flushing her approval ratings down the toilet.
What shall it profit a woman, we might ask her, if she holds government but loses her soul? But then again, she’s not a Christian, so perhaps it doesn’t bother her. It sure as hell bothers me.
@Ben .. Gillard has consistently refused to meet with representatives from the Gay and Lesbian community, and Australian Marriage Equality (meetings that even Abbott has agreed to!)
One report in the SSO was here: https://starobserver.com.au/news/2011/02/22/abbott-meets-marriage-supporters/45089
OMFG infuriating!
Its sad that she said she wanted to move australia forward, but when she is in, she is moving australia backward… same sex marriage is the tip of the iceberg on this woman. She is only on the christian side to get the christian votes AND in spite of the fundaMENTAL claims that she believes marriage is solely between a man and a woman is despicable, even for her. I listened to her answers before her election about same sex marriage issue, and she didnt even answer it, she skirted around it like the politician she is. She even thought that allowing us the right to a civil union is even more sad. I mean, does she really think the words “will you civil union me” sound so romantic??
I know Gillard avoided protesters at the recent Victorian ALP conference, but can’t recall any SSO coverage of lobby organisations requesting to meet her and being knocked back.
That being said, the thought of giving her the boot in favour of Tony Abbott makes no sense whatsoever.
It’s clear in state after state that a majority of the ALP right and left support same-sex marriage.
Let’s work to make sure that support is repeated here in NSW when the ALP Conference takes place in July.
Gillard’s private views, whatever they may be, are immaterial. It is her public position that matters – for it is this that dictates the direction the country is going, and it is this that justifies the continuing discrimination against gays and lesbians.
Given that she has, to date, outright refused to meet with representatives of the gay and lesbian community or australian marriage equality, yet freely met with the bigoted and homophobic ACL, this further goes to demonstrate what her true (lack of) character is.
It is time this woman was given the boot, and the rest of her incompetent, corrupt party with her.
She certainly doesn’t have any beliefs. She should be in government supporting the rights of all Asutralians. Supporting the ACL on this is going along with religious oppression.
Its pretty common with these politicians though. Bob’s “Australia Party” has no gay marriage as one of its core platform statements.
Bleh
The unrepresentative Christaliban Lobby needs to be knocked off its pedestal of privilege once and for all. This outspoken bigoted sectarian clan of activists for the supernatural have fought tooth and nail against every socially progressive reform in this country; and now they are trying to blackmail a minority government into doing their religious bidding yet again. Who do these people think they are? Since when do they control the Christian vote? Is the Christian Lobby going to side with a climate science denier, Tony Abbott, for Prime Minister; he whose scruples change with the opportune political weather? ACL, yet again it is crystal clear how badly out of touch with lived reality you truly are.
Anna Bligh for PM.