Nicola Roxon: "We understand how strongly many people feel about retaining and promoting the institution of marriage between men and women as a bedrock institution for families." PICTURE: Tanya Hargraves.

6th August, 2003

By DAVID ADAMS

A watershed moment passed this week when the shadow attorney-general, Nicola Roxon, stood at the podium at the National Marriage Forum to deliver a statement from leader Mark Latham that Labor would supoort the Government's move to enshrine the institution of marriage in law as being solely between a man and woman.

"We understand how strongly many people feel about retaining and promoting the institution of marriage between men and women as a bedrock institution for families," she said.

The announcement has been welcomed by the forum’s organisers who have said Labor’s move not only indicated that the major political parties acknowledged the concerns of the churches but that it indicated they had recognised the size of the Christian constituency interested in protecting the definition of marriage.

More than 1,000 people travelled to Parliament House in Canberra this week to take part in the forum organised by the National Marriage Coalition in support of Federal Government plans to introduce an amendment into the Marriage and Family Act which would ban gay marriage.

The bill was passed through the House of Representatives but stalled in the Senate where it was referred to a committee to examine for further consideration of the definition of marriage and of a proposed prohibition on adoptions from overseas by same-sex couples in Australia with a reporting date of October 7.

The Prime Minister, John Howard, has said that following Labor’s comments this week - which was condemned by gay rights groups and the minor parties - he will reintroduce the proposed legislation within a fortnight so that it can be dealt with before a Federal election.

The National Marriage Coalition was formed in July 2004 with initial members including the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL), the Fatherhood Foundation and the Australian Family Association (AFA).

Around 1,000 people gathered in Canberra this week for the National Marriage Forum. PICTURE: Tanya Hargraves.

Those attending this week’s forum included representatives of numerous church denominations, including the Anglican, Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Assemblies of God and the Salvation Army.

Many sponsored a joint statement of belief at the close of the forum in which they declared marriage is “the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life”, declared children’s rights were best served by having both a mother and a father and called on governments to do all they could to support marriage as an institution in Australia. (Click here for the full text of the statement.)

Convenor and executive chairman of the ACL, Jim Wallace, says it was decided to hold the forum to enable “Christians to speak with one voice on the issue”.

“Most political parties tend to take the votes of Christians for granted while ignoring their opinion on a whole range of issues,” he says.

“This forum enabled us to remind the politicians of the size of the Christian constituency and the importance of marriage being preserved.”

He describes the forum as an “historic occasion” in bringing together churches to present a united front on the issue of marriage.

Prime Minister John Howard: "(T)he reason why, above everything else, that I would like this definition put into the Marriage Act is that I believe that the Australian public wants a reaffirmation in the highest form...of something that until fairly recently they’ve taken for granted.” PICTURE: Phil Latz

Earlier, the Prime Minister told the forum that he had a “very simple view about the issue”.

The insertion of a definition of marriage into the Marriage Act expressed the fundamental Judeo-Christian view that marriage is a “life-long union between a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others”, he said.

“It is also a view of marriage which is entertained by many other religions around the world and also by many people who profess no religious faith at all”.

“And the reason why, above everything else, that I would like this definition put into the Marriage Act is that I believe that the Australian public wants a reaffirmation in the highest form...of something that until fairly recently they’ve taken for granted.”

Rejecting the idea that the move was an example of discrimination against gay and lesbian people, the Prime Minister - who received more than one standing ovation during his speech - added: “I support marriage because I believe it provides stability in relationships, because it is a public expression of commitment but it is also the environment in which children are best raised and nurtured and brought to full adulthood and enjoyment of life’s opportunities.”

The AFA's Bill Muehlenberg, meanwhile, told the forum that evidence of that societies have consisted of mother, father and child unit marked by marriage is “overwhelming and irrefutable”.

“Now we may think we can dispense with the wisdom of the ages and ignore the historical record,” he said.

“But we do so at our own peril. Societies, individuals and children all need the heterosexual message.”

Muehlenberg called on those at the forum to “redouble your efforts to protect marriage”.
“It is too valuable to let go of without a fight.”

Other speakers at the forum included former tennis star Margaret Court, Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson as well as the former head of the RSL “Digger” James and university academics and members of parliament.

- with reporting by Robert Law.

• Go here for the full text of the Joint Statement on Marriage agreed to by Christian Leaders at the conference.

• For more on the National Marriage Coalition, see www.marriage.org.au.