View Christian Democratic Party Responses

1. Freedom of religion

Australia has a proud record for protecting freedom, but increasingly faith-based organisations and individuals are unduly prevented from giving expression to their religion, or being pressured to act against their conscientiously-held beliefs, particularly in the areas of employment, service delivery, and education. Would your Party ensure that, like political parties, churches and religious bodies have their right to employ staff who share their ethos protected?

Yes we would as it is essential that in a number of employment situations where a religious affiliation, a religious belief, a political philosophy, and social practice would be very important to the ethos of the workplace and that must be protected so that the business ethos and philosophy not be compromised.

2. Prayer in parliament

The preamble to Australia’s Constitution states that our nation is “humbly relying on the blessing of Almighty God”. Does your Party commit to maintaining the convention of opening Parliament each day exclusively with the Lord’s Prayer?

Yes, with the usual Parliamentary prayer followed by the Lord’s Prayer as we would further encourage all members to participate audibility.

• Governments have a responsibility to uphold the Christian principles at the root of our national heritage.
• Christian prayers are one way of upholding these principles.
• Parliament should only make use of Christian prayers, such as the Lords’ prayer.

CDP recognises that the early  settlers who came to Australia were Christian men and women and that the Commonwealth of Australia was established on Christian principles, as evidenced by the preamble of our Australian Constitution (“humbly relying on the blessing of Almighty God”) and the symbolism of  the four crosses on our Australian flag.

Consequently, CDP believes that successive Federal, State and Local governments across Australia have a responsibility to uphold the Christian principles at the root of our national heritage.
Christian prayers at the opening of each Parliamentary sitting are one way of upholding the Christian principles and culture on which our nation has been established.

CDP believes that the adherents of other religions are entitled to freedom of worship and expression provided that they also accept that Christian beliefs and practices can continue to be upheld freely. Adherents of non Christian religions should recognise that in case of conflict between their tradition and Christian traditions, the Christian practice prevails out of respect for Australia’s well established Christian heritage. Over 65% of all Australians claim to be Christian in the census while other minority religions such as Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, ect only represent 1.7% of our Australian population. Consequently, CDP believes that the Parliament should only make use of Christian prayers such as the Lord’s Prayer; Parliament should resist adopting prayers who do not address the Christian God of the Bible “Almighty God”.

3. Overseas aid

Will your Party confirm the current Government commitment to contribute 0.5% Gross National Income to international aid and development efforts by 2015? What timeline will it put in place to reach the internationally agreed target of 0.7% GNI?

Yes we would and we would seek to get to 1.0% by 2020. We would want to be sure the aid was getting to where it is needed and not used to prop up bad governments.

• CDP acknowledges Australia’s foreign aid is below agreed international standards
• CDP supports an increase in foreign aid to reach at least 0.70% of GNI by 2015.
• CDP supports overseas aid to Christian organizations that cater for displaced Christians fleeing persecution.

Australia’s  overseas aid contributions is expected to reach 0.36% of GNI by 2010, which is well short of the millennium development goals of 0.50% of GNI by 2010 and of 0.70% by 2015.

The CDP particularly supports overseas aid to Christian organizations who cater for displaced Christians who have been fleeing persecution and found refuge in countries such as Jordan, Syria, Turkey and Lebanon and who are in need of food, shelter, education, health care facilities and legal documents.

4. Refugees

The immigration debate is complex, involving the competing priorities of meeting our moral obligation to offer asylum to genuine refugees, while minimising vulnerability to people smuggling, and ensuring border protection. What measures will your Party take to balance these competing priorities?

We would demonstrate that illegal arrivals were not welcomed unless proof of imminent danger is established quickly. We will receive an orderlly influx of refugees pre-arranged before arriving in Australia. We will also favour Christian refugees from areas of persecution as we believe that people of like beliefs to most Australians will adapt to Australia better.

• Australia has a sovereign right to determine who may enter its borders.
• Australia should meet its international obligations to treat unauthorized arrivals humanely and expediently and CDP will support supervised release programs into the community.
• CDP will give priority to refugee applicants who are persecuted for their Christian faith.

CDP affirms that it is the sovereign right of any nation to determine who may enter its borders for temporary or permanent stay and that the operations of people smugglers should continue to be disrupted and frustrated.

CDP considers that Australia should continue to meet its international obligations to treat unauthorised arrivals humanely and expediently and consider any claims they make for refugee status. Persons who arrive illegally and make claims for protection that are proven false should be removed from Australia as soon as practicable. Mandatory detention should continue for all persons without authority to be in Australia, although provisions for supervised release into the community for families with children should be considered.

Australia should continue to be a world leader in being a generous haven for genuine refugees through internationally supervised and orderly refugee resettlement programs. Priority should be given to refugee applicants who are most likely to readily integrate into the Australian way of life, including those who are being persecuted for their Christian faith.

5. Religious security

Many vulnerable people experience intolerable suffering in various countries due to persecution and a lack of religious freedom, often because of laws that forbid practice of non state religions. What would your Party do to encourage apostasy laws to be repealed in such countries, so that people are free to follow their own religious convictions without fear? What else would your Party do to support vulnerable people groups overseas, and respond to specific instances of religious or ethnic persecution?

We would continue to raise concerns in all international forums and to encourage a change of policy and if necessary go to the international court of arbitration to support the plight of the oppressed and the repeal of Apostasy Laws in all Muslim nations. 

• Priority to those ready to integrate into Australian way of life.
• Priority to persecuted Christians.
• Immigration denied to those who pose a challenge to our Christian heritage.

Australia should continue to be a world leader in being a generous haven for genuine refugees through internationally supervised and orderly refugee resettlement programs. Priority should be given to refugee applicants who are most likely to readily integrate into the Australian way of life, including those who are being persecuted for their Christian faith.

Consequently, CDP supports the creation of Special Assistance Category visas to meet the needs of persecuted Christians. CDP acknowledges that most of these Christians will originate from Middle Eastern countries and the Party has no problem with this.

On the other hand, CDP believes that immigration should be denied to those who pose a considerable challenge to the maintenance of Australia as a free society with a Christian heritage.

6. Homelessness and housing affordability

According to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, on any given night there are approximately 100,000 homeless Australians. What policies will your Party implement to address this problem? How will your Party respond to the issue of housing affordability?

We recognise that homelessness is a function of a dysfunctional society and is not just a question of housing shortages. We will deliver better mental health services; we will deliver better family counselling support; we will deliver a better substance abuse recovery services; we will deliver better policing of the illegal drug industry; and we will deliver better housing by building up Government housing stock, delivering lower cost housing loans by critically examining the banking structure to lower costs and examine the unreasonable profit margins of banks. Placing a degree of responsibility on brokers and lending intuitions for poor loan decisions. Restricting debt exposure to 80% of asset value. Through social security give support for those in risk of loan failure. Supporting regional cities with employment optornities by effective decentralisation incentives with good transport alternatives between centres.

• Distribution of GST revenue to the states subject to removal of all state taxes on land and housing.
• Home loan interest payments tax deductible on a means tested basis and up to a determined level and rental assistance for the genuinely unable.
• Reducing demand in capital cities through decentralisation policies.

A family home is more than a mere asset. It is central to the life of the family and the raising of children.

CDP believes that, in the first instance, the best government housing policy is one which encourages and does not obstruct people providing for their own basic housing needs.
Therefore, as with the provision of basic food, all levels of government are obliged not to burden basic housing with unjust taxes and regulations.

Consequently, CDP asserts that the most efficient way to assist home ownership would be through the abolition of stamp duty and all other taxes on housing. As these taxes are levied by the states, CDP would support moves by the Cwth Government to insist on redistributing GST to the states only if all taxes on land and housing are removed.

CDP supports making home loan interest payments tax deductible up to a determined level of interest payment for means tested threshold household income levels.

CDP supports reducing the demand for residential land in capital cities by encouraging decentralization of populations to regional centres through taxation and other government incentives to industry, small business and home buyers. CDP supports direct taxpayer funded housing for people who are genuinely unable, not merely reluctant, to provide for their own housing needs
Finally, CDP also supports stronger land tenure rights for the owners and tenants of land to prevent arbitrary damage being done to their rights by any level of government and a just compensation scheme for government caused damage.

7. Taxation considerations

The ‘Henry review’ of Australia’s taxation system recommended the winding back of Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) arrangements. FBT concessions make churches and church-based service-providers in the health, community and welfare sectors more financially viable, ensuring the maintenance of services to some of our most vulnerable people. Would your Party support the retention of FBT concessions for churches and faith-based charities?

Much of the Henry tax review is about increasing taxes and little is about the government treating its expenditure with restraint. Increasing taxes can not go on forever and so expenditure restraint must come into play. We support a restraint on spending and therefore we would not need to touch the fringe benefit taxes. So the answer is a resounding yes we will retain FBT concessions.

8. Cloning

Given that the scientific basis for ‘therapeutic cloning’ has changed since the Federal Parliament considered cloning in 2006, and that there is now an entirely ethical and uncontentious method to obtain the same specialised stem cells that cloning scientists have never managed to obtain, does your Party support a new conscience vote on laws permitting the creation of cloned human embryos solely for research?

Our party has a conscience vote on all issues and so in this case a resounding YES. Our policy position is that human cloning is outside of God’s will and outside of our moral choices.

• CDP opposes the harm and destruction of human embryos.
• CDP opposes any further liberalisation of cloning laws as these will only further serve to exploit women and trivialise human life.

CDP opposes any type of research on human embryos that results in their harm or destruction. Therefore, CDP supports the rescinding of State and Federal legislation permitting such research
CDP opposes all human cloning and the creation of chimeras (human/animal hybrids). Rather, CDP supports and encourages research using adult stem cells and umbilical cord stem cells, as this does not involve the destruction of human life. Most research and all successful therapies to date have been done using adult stem cells.

In view of the above, CDP will unequivocally reject any further liberalization of cloning laws.

To offer direct payment or discounted IVF to women in return for egg donation only facilitates the exploitation of women to provide eggs and  commercializes them, therefore trivializing human life.

9. Euthanasia

Euthanasia is the intentional killing of a ‘suffering’ patient. Legalised euthanasia alters the social contract with the vulnerable and ‘unwanted’ in society, who will perceive the so-called ‘right to die’ more as a ‘duty to die’, and corrupts the doctor-patient relationship in profound ways. While the vote may be a conscience one, will your Party reject any moves to legalise euthanasia?

We will not support any move to legalise euthanasia.

• CDP opposes all forms of euthanasia.
• CDP is not opposed to the refusal of burdensome medical treatment when death is inevitable.
• CDP supports quality palliative care to alleviate suffering.

Euthanasia (regardless of method) is a deliberate act to end a patient’s life. CDP opposes euthanasia, whether active (such as with an injection) or passive (such as by withdrawing food and water), whether voluntary (with the consent of the victim) or involuntary (without the consent of the victim).

Euthanasia should not be confused with refusing futile or burdensome medical treatment when death is inevitable. Neither should euthanasia be confused with the provision of good Palliative care. In some instances, medications that manage pain may hasten death, but this is not euthanasia for the aim is not to kill but to alleviate suffering.

Rather than eliminating the frail, sick and elderly, we support quality palliative care and will oppose the legalization of euthanasia at either state or federal level during the term of the next government.

10. Abortion

The 2007 annual report of the Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity (Victoria) showed that 52 out of 181 late term babies who were aborted for “abnormalities” survived late term abortions but died neo-natally. Would your Party support a conscience vote on Medicare funding for abortions carried out on babies old enough to be viable outside the womb?

We allow a conscience vote on all issues so a resounding YES. Our policy position is to support the rights of the unborn child as we see the unborn child as a person. In fact the UN Charter on human rights gives the same legal rights to the unborn child as to the born child and we hold to this position.

Our policies do not support abortions and we did call on the federal government to seek to overturn Victoria's position as we are a signatory to the UN Charter on rights of the child where the same rights are granted to both the born and the unborn child.

11. Abortion Data

There are approximately 80,000 abortions performed in Australia each year, but obtaining accurate figures is fraught by bureaucratic impediments. What will your Party do to obtain more accurate and complete abortion data in line with the cross-party recommendation of the 2008 Senate inquiry into the Health Insurance Regulations?

The Christian Democratic Party has always valued life and is concerned that each and every death be accounted for correctly. We are very concerned with the death of young children both before birth (abortions and still births) and after birth.

We will therefore recommend /and or support a Senate inquiry to document all deaths/abortions. The unborn child will be declared a human person from conception and therefore if the unborn child dies its’ death will procedurally and legally need to be reported. This position is based on the UN Declaration of Human Rights as it refers to the rights of the child. The critical wording of that declaration is, “the rights of the child are the same before birth as they are after birth”. This declaration was signed and agreed to By Senator Gareth Evens without amendment or reservations on behalf of the Australian Government.

We oppose any view that would suggest that the unborn child is not a human person with legal and moral rights that need to be protected.

12. Chaplaincy

The 2009 research paper, “The Effectiveness of Chaplaincy”, showed that the Federal Government’s National School Chaplaincy Program was supported by more than 97% of the 688 participating school principals, who said that chaplains had been highly effective in providing pastoral care services for students and school communities. Does your Party commit to funding faith-based chaplaincy in schools beyond 2011, and at what level?

We believe that this program has delivered good out comes and we would seek to extend it, not only beyond 2011 but even increase its scope to give good counsel to families and students beyond the immediate school community.

13. Youth unemployment

The national youth unemployment rate is 17% but in some locations it is over 40%. What policies will your Party implement to support and encourage young Australians to engage in active employment?

There needs to be greater investment in the trades and apprenticeships and for those unable to find work or trades to become involved in we will create a supported volunteer program to assist in repairing some of the environmental damage that has taken place over the years.

14. National curriculum

The national curriculum stresses teaching all subjects from indigenous, Asian and environmental perspectives, but the proposed history curriculum fails to acknowledge the significance of Australia’s Judeo-Christian heritage. What actions will your Party take to ensure a more balanced approach to the national curriculum, one that properly recognises Christianity’s historical and on-going contribution to Australia’s social, political and legal structures? What place, if any, should the Bible have in the national English curriculum, given its status as the most printed and translated literary work, and its obvious effect on the development of Western culture, literature and art?

We do not support the review of history where the Christian input has been downgraded as many of the significant events are to be understood as community leaders’ moral convictions moved them to act in the way that history records the events. As the Bible has been significant in the lives of history makers it must be also involved in understanding history and development of moral standards.

15. School funding

Given that many of the students attending low fee independent and Christian schools come from families of a similar socio-economic background as those of public schools, will your Party guarantee that any review of funding for the non-government school sector will result in no reduction in the level of funding in both real and relative terms for these schools?

Yes.

16. Marriage

Marriage is clearly defined in the Marriage Act as the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life. Would your Party commit to support this definition for the life of the Government and beyond?

Yes, we are totally opposed to “same sex” so-called Marriage.

17. Parenting

Now that a paid parental leave scheme has been legislated and will begin operation on 1 January 2011, what policies will your Party implement to redress the inequality in Government support experienced by women who work exclusively in the home?

We would support fairer treatment for women who work exclusively from home, especially in their child rearing and care priorities.

18. Surrogacy and ART

The Standing Committee of Attorneys-General (SCAG) intends to achieve uniform national surrogacy law. Some States allow surrogacy for single people and same-gender couples to obtain a child, who then has no possibility of having both a mother and a father. In constructing nationally consistent surrogacy laws, will your Party oppose any provision for single and same-gender surrogacy?

Our party will oppose any provision for single and same – gender surrogacy.

• Every child is entitled to a father and mother.
• Children are not commodities that can be acquired by commercial means.

The CDP believes that children are God gift to parents and that God instituted marriage to have children.

Whilst CDP is sympathetic to the plight of infertile married couples, and urges them to seek help, CDP opposes the use of reproductive technology by persons other than married couples because every child is entitled to have a father and mother who are publicly committed to each other for life.

19. Classification

There are a number of Codes of Practice across a range of media platforms, with some types of media self-regulated, others falling under the scope of the ACMA or the Classification Board. This multiplicity of media regulation is ill-equipped to keep pace with rapid technological changes, lacks effective enforcement mechanisms, and leaves children vulnerable to harm from inappropriate media products. Will your Party commit to a comprehensive review of Australia’s media regulatory environment, with a view to establish an effective classification system across all media, including advertising and games?

• Self regulation is not working, a new scheme is required.
• Serious breaches should result in loss of license for the broadcaster.
• Standards for TV and radio should take account of the potential that exists to influence children.
• Public hearings with licence renewals for all radio and television stations will be resumed, as they were very effective.

All holders of television and radio licenses enjoy a privilege which carries responsibilities. As industry self-regulation is not working, CDP supports the introduction of a new scheme with greater enforcement powers.

CDP believes that the standards for television and radio content should be rigorously enforced with significant penalties for breaches, including loss of license, imposed by the appropriate authority.

CDP affirms also that standards for television and radio should take account of the potential that exists to influence children, and therefore reflect and support the values of Australian families.

The X-rated classification for films should be abolished and Commonwealth legislation introduced to prohibit the production and sale of these films in the ACT and the Northern Territory.

CDP considers that the classification scheme for films and computer games should be revised to ensure that there is a G classification which parents can completely rely on as indicating that the material is suitable for children of all ages.

CDP believes that the R18+ classification should exclude any depiction of actual sex or any implied depictions of sex with children. The highest classification for computer games should remain as MA15+.

20. Internet safety

Recent Government trials have shown that blocking Refused Classification (RC) material at the ISP level is technically feasible. Will your Party commit to the filtering of RC material at the ISP level to provide a safer internet environment for children? Some ISPs already provide commercial filtering products for parents to protect children from legal but otherwise harmful internet content. What would your Party do to encourage wider availability of such services?

• Yes we fully support  the filtering of RC material at the ISP level to protect children.
• Self regulation is not working, a new scheme is required.
• Serious breaches should result in loss of license for the broadcaster.

21. Climate Change

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has predicted devastating effects of climate change on the global environment and population. At the same time a body of contrary scientific evidence is beginning to emerge in the debate. What is your Party’s position on climate change, and what are the policies it plans to implement on that basis, including for the world’s poorest?

We note that climate is always in a flux of change.

• Environmental issues are important and must be managed responsibly.
• The media reporting on climate change has been biased and does not cover those scientists who challenge popular climate change assumptions.
• CDP will not commit itself to any course of action that is certain to damage economic prosperity if the hoped-for benefits to the environment are uncertain or disproportionately costly.
• All climate change policies must be adopted on a worldwide level, as Australia is one of the smallest contributors to carbon, only 2%, which is very low compared to USA, China, India and Russia.

The CDP believes that environmental issues are important because the environment is God-given and sustains life. We have an obligation to responsibly manage the environment and to mitigate, where feasible, environmental change and pollution. However, it needs to be remembered that the earth was made for humankind. The environment needs to be kept in perspective as the servant to humankind and not elevated to the point where human lives are sacrificed in favour of preserving the life of some plants or animals.

CDP:

1. Accepts that the scientific debate around climate change is unresolved and in that sense the CDP remains agnostic in respect to scientific elements of the climate change debate.
2. CDP will not commit itself to any course of action that is certain to damage economic prosperity if the hoped-for benefits to the environment are uncertain or disproportionately costly.
3. Does not support carbon trading schemes as they are considered futile and create an unnecessary burden on our economy.
4. Does not support Australia being a signatory to the Kyoto protocol.
5. Encourages the development of economic alternatives to fossil fuels and cleaner coal mining technologies.
6. Wants to see a more balanced media treatment of the debate and issues surrounding climate change in school curriculum and the media.
7. Supports a forestry policy that balances sustainable environmental practices with the interests and long term viability of   rural and regional forestry communities.
8. The implementation of viable programs to deal with salt damage to agricultural land.

22. Sharia law

In 2009 the Islamic Council of Victoria rebuffed an attempt by one of its board members to propose the establishment of a Sharia court to handle disputes in the Muslim community over divorce, child access, wills and the like. Would your party commit to opposing the adoption of a parallel Sharia Law legal system within Australia?

We support one law for all and we will do all we can to prevent any other legal system being established in Australia.

We are committed to oppose Sharia Law and Sharia law courts in Australia this would include the establishment of Shari loans/finance as this will be an entry point for the need for special courts for disputes in this area.

23. Human Rights Act

The National Human Rights Consultation recommended the enactment of a federal Human Rights Act. However many Christian churches and groups opposed a HRA because of little evidence of overseas versions improving human rights and their being used by activists to undermine freedom of religion. Given the time and expense of assessing Parliament’s present position on the HRA, will your Party rule out introducing a Human Rights Act or equivalent instrument in the next and subsequent parliament?

We believe our constitution and our legal system have and will provide greater human rights than any restrictive Human Rights Act.

• Charter of Rights are too broadly worded and imprecise.
• They place too much power in the hands of the judiciary.
• Any serious human rights infringements can be addressed without the need for a Bill of Rights.

The CDP does not support the concept of a catch-all Bill of Rights.  CDP is aware that most Australians do not see the necessity of Bill/Charter of Rights; all Australian referenda on a Bill of Rights have always been soundly defeated.

The issue with any charter of rights is that invariably the wording is too broad and imprecise. It means that the courts are free to interpret them the way they wish.  Judges will make rulings in the light of their own individual perception of contemporary values.  This can range from giving full recognition to same-sex marriages to sex education in pre-schools or prohibiting Christian schools from refusing employment to non-Christians.

Furthermore, charter of rights typically make reference to the judgement of foreign and international courts relevant to human rights. Such courts sometimes base their judgements on laws that are at variance with Australian laws.

A Charter or Bill of Rights will blur the division of powers between the legislative and the judiciary and interfere with the sound effectiveness of our Westminster system of Government.

Any serious human rights infringements can be addressed through specific legislation dealing with the particular issue in question, a Bill of Rights is not necessary to protect human rights in Australia.

24. Indigenous welfare

Social justice for indigenous people remains a major issue for Christian churches. What initiatives and policies would your Party introduce to ensure not only better health, housing, education and employment opportunities for indigenous Australians, but also to facilitate long-term social inclusion and a sense of hope and purpose for the first Australians? What would your Party do during the next term of Parliament to specifically address these goals?

We believe services should be provided to all based upon need and while we note that many in the Indigenous communities have very poor outcomes we will supply community appropriate assistance so that all Australians receive good outcomes in regard to health, housing education and employment. We would want to work with local communities enabling their membership to develop community appropriate improvements in these areas and seek to provide all assistance directly to needy families.