The conservative Australian Christian Lobby positions itself as a representative body for Christian voters. Claiming over 50,000 members, the group ramps up activity around election time and has been outspoken on a number of key issues.
"This federal election is the most important election in a generation," the group says, "the 2016 federal election will shape the character and values of our nation for years to come."
This year it seems sexuality is a key issue for the group, with most of their high-profile campaigns relating to issues such as same-sex marriage, the safe-schools program and trans-related health services being covered under Medicare.
While their election guide is pretty strongly pro-Liberal Party, there are some issues where they appear to fall a little more left of centre (not as far left as the Australian Lapsed Catholic Lobby, however).
From their website and their election guide, here are some top issues the group is training their sights on.
1 - Safe Schools is 'unsafe'
The ALC is strongly opposed to the Safe Schools program, which aims to promote understanding and reduce LGBTIQ bullying in schools. They say this is the most important issue this election.
The group says the program promotes a "dangerous queer gender ideology" that contains material which teaches that gender in a construct.
"Bullying words such as 'bigot' and 'homophobe' are being employed against anyone asking questions," they say.
2 - The government should offer more humanitarian assistance
The Australian Christian Lobby’s election guide prominently lists humanitarian issues as a key concern, noting the persecution of Christian’s and others by ISIS.
“As of the most recent budget announcement, Australia’s overseas-aid budget is now the lowest since 2004 and we have become one of the least generous nations in the developed world,” the group’s election guide says.
The group also echoes Tony Abbott’s comments that the success of border protection policies allows for an increase in the humanitarian intake.
“With so many people – including hundreds of thousands of Christians – displaced and persecuted around the world, Australia must stand up and support those whose governments are unable or unwilling to help,” their election guide says.
Source: YouTube
3 - Same-sex marriage is a threat
“Australian social policy has taken a big shift to the extreme left in the last decade,” the group says, “this seismic shift on social policy has been accompanied by a growing hostility towards Christians and those who share our views on marriage and family.”
The group says anti-same sex marriage campaigners are ostracised, and has called on Bill Shorten to "stop calling people homophobes."
"The use of bullying language to demonise people who simply wish to preserve the definition of marriage must stop,” Lyle Shelton, head of the ACL said.
Noting that Labor is promising to legislate for same-sex marriage within the first 100 days of government, the group expresses a clear preference for the Liberal's plebiscite plan.
“A marriage plebiscite is therefore the only way that, as Christians, we can secure both the future of marriage, and our freedoms to believe and practice our faith,” their guide says.
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4 - Anti-discrimination laws should be wound back
The ACL says that anti-discrimination laws hinder free speech, citing the case of the Catholic Archbishop of Hobart who was taken to court for distributing a booklet, "Don't Mess with Marriage."
While the case was dropped, the group says it is evidence that the legislation is "wildly excessive."
“Misguided laws and legal processes are silencing the community. When the law stops decent people from saying reasonable things, it is defective,” Lyle Shelton said.
5 - Support for trans-people is going too far
Threaded through ACL press releases and campaign material is a particularly strong distaste for gender fluidity and trans-issues.
The group says the Safe Schools program is dangerous because it "encourages schools to let young men identifying as girls to be in the girls' toilets and change rooms," and "gives children information about sex change surgery and suggests this can happen with or without parental consent."
It slams changes to the Labor Party platform which recognise that trans-people are excluded through the gendering of government documents, workplaces and public facilities. The group is also critical of policies to include trans-related healthcare under Medicare.
"ALP policy states that 'cost should not be a barrier to accessing' sex-change operations, meaning you and I may have to foot the bill," its campaign literature says.
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