Full Name Lyle Shelton Occupation Lobbyist | Name Lyle Shelton Role Australian lobbyist | |
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Religion Christianity
Evangelicalism Political party National Party of Australia | ||
Lyle Shelton is a lobbyist on Christian issues. He served as the Chief of Staff of the Australian Christian Lobby for six years and was appointed as Managing Director in May 2013. He has a background in journalism.
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Background
He served as councillor on Toowoomba City Council from 2000 to 2006. He retired to contest the 2006 Queensland state election for the seat of Toowoomba North for the Queensland Nationals. He was unsuccessful in the election.
Shelton served as chair of Council’s Strategy and Governance Committee and campaigned against the sex trade in that area. He had an active role in the "No" campaign in the Toowoomba Water Futures referendum, 2006, which his side won.
Lobbying
Shelton has said that same-sex marriage is "insensitive to the needs of children and the cultural and even religious views of the vast majority of Australians".
Shelton is a member of the Australian Churches Gambling Taskforce. In relation to poker machines, he has said that, "it's an issue that's causing incredible hardship to children and to families right across this nation and it needs to be tackled".
Following the "trashing" of Senator Cory Bernardi's office and threatening of his staff by supporters of the Safe schools, anti-bullying program, Shelton said the protest showed a, "disturbing lack of tolerance".
In December 2016 The Cape Town Declaration was launched by conservative family groups in Cape Town, South Africa, to affirm marriage as between a man and a woman. Shelton said, "With just 23 of 190 United Nations member countries having redefined marriage in law, the new global marriage movement is determined to prevent further slippage and to win marriage back where it has been lost".
Controversy
Lyle Shelton has drawn controversy for repeatedly referring to children brought up by same-sex couples as a Stolen Generation. Shelton has drawn controversy for his comments that he was disappointed in Christians who support same-sex marriage, and for his support for parents who wished to use conversion therapy on LGBT minors.
Award
In December 2016, Shelton was awarded the World Magazine's 2016 Daniel of the Year because of his role in the same-sex marriage debate in Australia.