Australian Christian Lobby

Updated on Jan 20, 2024

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Founded 1995 Location Canberra, Australia Slogan Voice for values		Registration no. 40 075 120 517 (ABN) Area served Australia

Key people Chairman, Jim Wallace AM Managing director, Lyle Shelton Chairman Emeritus, Tony McLellan

The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) is a Christian public company based in Canberra lobbying both national and state/territory governments and running campaigns to change public opinion.

It is similar to the Christian right lobby groups found in the United States.

As at 2016 it is conducting a high-profile campaign to support the retention of the definition of marriage as being between a man and a woman as found in the Marriage Amendment Act 2004 No. 126, 2004 and seeks to allow open expression of its opposition to same-sex marriage through exempting debate from hate speech laws.

Its critics have stated that it overstates its base of support with its policies created by a small number of company owners. Critics have variously labelled it a hate group, and operating from a Christian dominionist and reconstructionist theology. ACL rejects those labels.

Structure

The ACL is registered as a public company, limited by guarantee and files political expenditure returns with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). Funding comes mostly from individuals but names are not disclosed by the organisation itself. It has no political affiliation and makes no statements regarding faith. Eternity House, the Deakin ACT headquarters of ACL is registered as a separate not-for-profit entity.

Lobbying strategies

ACL activities include:

national, pre-election "Make it Count" events and other conferences/forums where Australian political leaders address individuals and groups sharing common views with the ACL

2007 John Howard and Kevin Rudd

2008 Malcolm Turnbull

2010 Tony Abbott, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard

2014 Bill Shorten

2016 Scott Morrison

state-based, "Make it Count" events have been held in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. These events are often webcast to a wider audience. For both federal and state elections, the ACL holds "Meet Your Candidate" forums, primarily in marginal seats, to give voters an opportunity to meet and question the people who are seeking their vote.

written and oral representations to federal and state/territory parliaments and their agencies

distribution of Viewpoint to Australian parliamentarians

release of media releases.

History

The Australian Christian Coalition (ACC) was founded in 1995 by John Gagliardi, a lay leader of a large Pentecostal church in Brisbane. Gagliardi had held journalistic positions as editor of the Townsville Bulletin and as a presenter for Channel 10 news. Co-founders include John McNicoll, a retired Baptist minister turned lobbyist in Canberra, and John Miller, a Baptist who held lay leadership positions within his Canberra church.

The organisation changed its name to the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) in March 2001.

In December 2016, a van filled with propane bottles was set on fire in an adjacent car park damaging the ACL's empty offices. Police who interviewed the man said that the incident was not politically, religiously or ideologically motivated. In February 2017, the investigation into the bombing was reported as "active", but "frozen" due to the driver's medical condition.

Staff

Jim Wallace was the managing director of ACL from 2000 to 2013. Lyle Shelton is ACL's managing director. The company has a self-appointed board of management – board members are invited to join by existing board members. Board members are not elected by members. The organisation's biggest expense is paying staff.

Constituency and influence

One of the main criticisms of the ACL is that it overstates the constituency it represents. Jim Wallace, one time managing director of the ACL, confirmed that the organisation represents its supporters only but stated that they also contact a group of representative theologians representing a number of denominations.

Whilst its claimed constituency is unproven, John Warhurst, emeritus professor of political science at the Australian National University said that ACL has:

been successful in establishing itself 'in the top echelon of lobbying groups'

having the 'professional knowledge to run modern election campaigns' and

'will not go away'

Warhurst notes that ACL as an evangelical lobby group is more politically influential than the Family First party.

Professor Marion Maddox, of Macquarie University has said that ACL has achieved, 'remarkable influence with political leaders on both sides.'

Former Attorney-General Robert McClelland has said those protesting against ACL would not have recognised that the ACL had supported amendments to 84 pieces of Commonwealth legislation that removed discrimination against same-sex couples.

Some Christian leaders have stated the ACL's campaigning against gay rights does not represent the stance of all Christians, and several Christian Churches have stated they are frustrated and concerned about the ACL's actions on the issue.

The ACL has been described as extremist, influenced by Christian dominionism and reconstructionism. This is denied by the ACL.

Support

ACL supports:

marriage as defined by 2004 amendments to the Marriage Act, where the definition is, 'marriage means the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life'

the nuclear family and the family as the best environment for children

removal of superannuation-discrimination for same-sex couples

censorship:

of video games

of the internet through a internet blacklist

of outdoor and other advertising

reduction of global poverty

religious freedom for Christians globally

provision of asylum for refugees, particularly Christian refugees

Christian chaplains in schools.

Opposition

ACL opposes:

abortion and the establishment of safe zones to protect women seeking abortion from harassment by protestors

euthanasia

certain LGBT rights in Australia, such as same-sex marriage, LGBT parenting and adoption, and have campaigned for the rights of church-owned schools to be able to legally discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation

same-sex marriage: opposing any amendment to the 2004 definition of marriage in the Marriage Act (1961) and limits on speech against, initially also opposing legal recognition same sex civil unions

surrogacy and adoption by gays and lesbians

certain treatments of sexuality in school settings

the Safe Schools program and a year 8 school program entitled Respectful Relationships and asked for the withdrawal of $8 million allocated to the Australia-wide program

current halal certification arrangements

gambling

prostitution.

References

Australian Christian Lobby Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

Grigore Belostecinic

Karina Masotta

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