DAVID ADAMS reports on some new research looking at what Christians see as important when it comes to political lobbying and speaks to the Australian Christian Lobby about the launch of their new website – Australia Votes…
Ensuring support for marriage and the family is the issue Christians in Australia believe they should be most active about when it comes to political lobbying, according to the results of research released by the Australian Christian Lobby.
The research, which was compiled by the National Church Life Survey, asked more than 3,300 people from churches of 22 different Christian denominations to nominate up to four issues they believed were most important in terms of political lobbying.
Issues on which respondents believed Christians should be most active
Support for marriage and family 58 per cent
Poverty in Australia 44 per cent
Abortion 40 per cent
Drugs/substance abuse 39 per cent
Third World poverty 35 per cent
Standards in media 28 per cent
Values in education 23 per cent
Asylum seekers/refugees 19 per cent
Euthanasia 17 per cent
Environment 15 per cent
Support for persecuted overseas 13 per cent
Another issue 4 per cent
None of these issues 2 per cent
Source: NCLS 2006, O survey
Fifty-eight per cent chose “support for marriage and family” followed by “poverty in Australia” (44 per cent), “abortion” (40 per cent), “drugs and substance abuse” (39 per cent) and “Third World poverty” (35 per cent).
Other issues included “standards in media” (28 per cent), “values in education” (23 per cent), “asylum seekers/refugees” (19 per cent), and “euthanasia” (17 per cent).
Jim Wallace, managing director of the ACL, says the survey results were in line with expectations.
“I think the results overall held no real surprises in that there was a real balance there…of social justice and moral issues,” he says. “I think Christians are logically interested in a span of both and I think a healthy Christian has a concern for both.”
While only 15 per cent choose “environment” as one of their top four issues of concern, the ACL noted that the survey was conducted between June and November last year “prior to the issue of climate change receiving quite as much widespread coverage”.
While support for marriage and family polled the highest across all age groups, among Gen Y’s (people aged 15 to 29) Third World poverty came a close second while among Gen X’s (aged 30 to 44 ) and boomers (aged 45 to 64), poverty in Australia polled second highest. Drugs and substance abuse polled second highest for the builders (those aged 65 plus).
Mr Wallace says the survey was conducted to help ensure the lobby’s activities meshed with the views of Christians around the country. He adds that the results “probably reinforced” what the lobby already knew with regard to Christian views.
“I think it’s a pretty good indicator for us of what we need to get on and put effort into.”
The survey results were released as the ACL unveiled a website covering political party views on everything from indigenous issues through to prayer in parliament.
The website – www.australiavotes.org – features answers provided by six parties in relation to 25 questions covering a broad spectrum of policy areas.
The questions range from how the parties intend engaging with the Christian constituency through to what policies they will put in place to reduce Australia’s greenhouse pollution, whether the party is committed to maintaining the convention of opening each parliamentary day with the Lord’s Prayer and what measures parties will take to improve the processing and welfare of refugees who arrive by irregular means while at the same time protecting the security of Australia’s borders.
The parties which responded include the Coalition (made up of the Liberal and National Parties), Labor, Family First, the Christian Democratic Party, the Australian Democrats and the Liberty & Democracy Party. Queensland independent senate candidate James Baker also responded. The Australian Greens declined to participate.
FINDING THE PARTY LINE: The Australian Christian Lobby asked political parties to respond to 25 questions on issues ranging from prayer in parliament to improving the processing of refugees and has posted their answers on a website – www.australiavotes.org.
Mr Wallace says that a number of new policy promises were revealed in the answers provided by the parties. They included a Coalition proposal to review of the Office of Film and Literature Classification guidelines and an announcement from Labor that it would cap appointment terms of those serving on boards within the OFLC.
In answering a question on how they would strengthen marriage, the Coalition also announced it would provide $190 million over the next three years on both new and existing early intervention services provided under the Family Relationships Program while Labor says it will examine options to expand the provision of courses aimed at supporting marriage, such as parenting and couples courses, and education programs.
Mr Wallace says he believes the questionnaire will influence policy. The fact that both parties had spent time answering questions rather than providing standard policy information was indicative of the fact that they were concerned about the Christian constituency, he says.
“We know that in both parties that the answers that were put together here were considered or at least approved at the highest levels of the campaign.”
While the Greens had so far declined to provide answers – a decision Mr Wallace believes the party will “rue”, they would still be welcome to do so.
The website also provides information on how MPs at both a federal and state level voted in conscience votes concerning the cloning of human embryos and the abortion drug RU486.
Mr Wallace says the information was included because he believed conscience votes were “a very good indicator of where people’s values are”.
About 100,000 16 page booklets summarising the material on the website will be sent out to churches across the country next week along with 400,000 flyers promoting the new website.
Churches set to receive the material include those in most marginal seats and represent a range of denominations.
The website will also contain details of where the lobby is holding it’s 50 to 60 ‘Meet the Candidate’ forums, at least 15 of which will be held in marginal seats.
