‘Same-sex marriage plebiscite: Churches allege PM made cash pledge’
Posted on September 10, 2016
Filed under Australia, Culture wars
“A public firestorm has erupted around Malcolm Turnbull over accusations he pledged millions of taxpayer dollars to Australia’s most senior church leaders to fund their campaign against same-sex marriage.
Archbishop of Sydney Glenn Davies, one of the country’s most senior Anglican leaders, told The Sunday Telegraph the Prime Minister’s offer to fund both sides of the campaign was ‘unambiguous’.
Church leaders fear the PM will renege on the pledge. They want $10 million to fund a ‘No’ campaign, the same amount offered to each side of the republic referendum in 1999, adjusted for inflation. …”
– Report from The Daily Telegraph. (Photo: malcolmturnbull.com.au.)
See also
Same-sex marriage: Turnbull pledged to fund both sides of plebiscite debate, Archbishop says – ABC News.
Commentary from Andrew Bolt in The Herald Sun.
Malcolm Turnbull and churches at odds over funding of marriage equality plebiscite – The Guardian.
“The Australian Christian Lobby boss, Lyle Shelton, tweeted that he was at the February meeting and the archbishop’s recollection was correct.”
Update from Presbyterian Moderator-General, David Cook:
Moderator’s Comments – Posted 16 February 2016 (Republished 11 September 2016)
(In view of the controversy in today’s paper, regarding funding of both sides for the plebiscite, we are republishing these notes from a meeting with the Prime Minister earlier this year, along with my responses. David Cook)
On Friday 12 February, at the invitation of the Australian Christian Lobby, I joined a delegation to meet Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, in his Sydney office. It was agreed that we confine our remarks to the issue of the plebiscite regarding single gender marriage which will be held, in the event of a coalition victory, soon after the next Federal election.
The issues which concerned us were:
- The framing of the question to be answered in the plebiscite. Would we have input into this so that it did not unfairly encourage the preferred response of either side?
- The question of religious freedom both during and after the debate, if the plebiscite is lost.
- If the Commonwealth was to provide funding for campaigns, how would such funding be allocated? The campaign in favour of single sex marriage in Ireland outspent the traditional campaign, 15 to 1.
- When will the proposed Bill to change the Marriage Act and enable the plebiscite, be available?
- Will the PM do all in his power to ensure equal access to media for both sides of the argument?
The PM was warm and engaging and assured us that he was interested in matters of spirituality and, “enjoys a good homily”.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…