Churches welcome Australia gay marriage ruling

Friday, 9th May 2008
George Conger.

CHRISTIAN leaders have applauded Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s (pictured) decision to oppose the introduction of gay marriage in Australia.

The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Peter Jensen, welcomed the government’s “clear and firm determination to make sure that whatever happens this is not about marriage. Marriage is between a man and a woman and it is excellent that the Government has made that clear.”

On May 4, the Labor government announced it would veto Civil Partnership Legislation proposed by the government of the Australian Capital Territory in Canberra, arguing the proposed civil union ceremonies too closely resembled marriage. The ACT government will be permitted to introduce legislation allowing same-sex couples to register their unions, but any ceremony memorializing the union would have no standing under law.

The Australian Christian Lobby chairman Jim Wallace applauded the decision, telling the Australian Broadcasting Corporation [ABC] that marriage should not be a “political trophy for two per cent of the population.” the rest