With the announcement just after lunchtime on 14^th December that the Coalition had achieved a majority of 21 seats in the Legislative Council, we can now wrap up commentary on the 2010 Victorian Election.

Ted Baillieu and his team have achieved what may have seemed impossible just a month or two before the November 27^th election. With a swing in excess of 6% that as noted above has given them control of both houses, they now have to press on and lead Victoria with confidence and boldness.

It has been a few days since our last posting here, not because we have had nothing to report, but because there has been so much going on!

We know now that the Liberal–National Coalition has won the required 45 seats in the Legislative Assembly (Lower House) to form government and we offer our congratulations to them.  They have a huge task ahead of them after 11 years on the opposition benches. 

It is beginning to look as though they might complete a “clean sweep” by gaining control in the Legislative Council (Upper House) as well.  We will have to wait until next Monday or Tuesday before the VEC gives us the final numbers, but it looks like 21 Liberal, 16 Labor and 3 Greens.

Media Release

The massive swing towards the Liberal/National Coalition in Saturday’s Victorian election spells out a message to both major parties that they should resist dancing to the Greens’ tune and instead lead from a position of principle, the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) said today.

It’s An Election Wrap! (well almost!)

With just one day left for campaigning in the Victorian election, now might be the time to review the big picture, remind ourselves of what has gone on and wrap it up.

For ALL the reports and information on the ACL activities around this election just click here to go to our special website set up just for the Victorian 2010 election!

ALP & The Greens, Final forum & Emily’s List

Interesting to see a number of newspaper reports today sounding the same alarm as we have, concerned about the impact of a Green/Labor marriage of convenience. Wayne Swan speaks out here.

And also Janet Albrechsten here.

Last night saw the largest forum we have been involved in in this election, almost 250 people gathered from across the Church came to Bairnsdale to hear four candidates ask for their vote, explain their values and respond to a great range of questions from the audience.  What was clear was that the issue of abortion law is high on the radar for Christians with fully one third of the questions on this issue alone.

One of the sad reflections on this campaign might be how it has denigrated to being personal rather than about the real issues. Did Ted Baillieu do anything wrong when the Real Estate company that bears his family name acted for the Government all those years ago?  I suspect not, but it seems as though just throwing mud is enough.

On the other hand the tit-for-tat bidding war continues, more paramedics from this party, an increase in funding for non-government schools, well “we will match that” is the mantra.

Media Release

The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) today called on Premier John Brumby to assure Victorians that he would not enter into a deal with the radical Greens to secure a hold on government in the event of a hung Parliament after Saturday’s Victorian election.

“In just a few sitting weeks with the Greens having just one Lower House seat in the Federal Parliament we have seen a complete misappropriation of both parliamentary time and the legislative programme on their minority and extreme agenda,” ACL Victorian Director Rob Ward said.

Health, law & order, transport and planning continue to be the issues most covered by the mainstream media.  Education matters such as promises of more schools and camps for students in Year 9 also get attention.

But what about other matters?  Integrity in government, protecting religious freedom, freedom of choice in education, support for the disadvantaged and even rolling back the radical abortion laws.  Not a mention!

Democracy served?

Last night ACL did its bit again for democracy, running a number of candidate forums that attracted over 200 people.  Candidates spoke about why they should get your vote, shared something about themselves and then responded to questions from the very people they hope to represent in Parliament. Democracy in action!

However was democracy served quite as well in Bendigo?  Jacinta Allan, the sitting ALP MP and member of Emily’s List declined the invitation to attend. Jacinta cited as her reason some concerns for her safety and that of her campaign staff; a result of some incidents over recent weeks that have been reported to the Bendigo Police. The veracity of those concerns are for the Police and others to judge, and we certainly accept them at face value. 

With the actual date drawing even closer, the barrage of ideas, polices and statements are reaching fever pitch.  Everything from boot camp for students to 40 new trains, more hospital beds, more police and more promises keep on coming!

Some business commentators have expressed concern that Greens policies will harm the fragile economic recovery in Victoria after the GFC.  Many of their policies are  not yet costed, and one wonders where the money will come from.  This is of course quite apart from our worries over the social engineering tendencies of the Greens.

Media Release

The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) today congratulated the Victorian Liberals and Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu in particular for deciding to preference the Greens last in every seat in the upcoming State election.

ACL Victorian Director Rob Ward said the decision will help Victoria avoid an unstable election outcome where the State is held hostage to the Greens’ radical social and economic agendas.

A Sunday reflection.

It was Remembrance day during the week. A time to pause and reflect on the incredibly high price paid by those that went before us, preserving and protecting our freedoms. It is sad to think that we may well lose these freedoms, we may see our Judeo-Christian foundations and heritage consigned to the dusty pages of history.  Why and how?

Firstly how.  There are those who would see marriage redefined, religious freedom eroded and life, both at its beginning and end, devalued.  Let’s be frank about it, if we let these changes slip in without a fight we have no-one to blame but ourselves.

Last night saw a further 2 forums, in the electorates of Bayswater and Mordialloc.  One is currently held by the Libs the other by the ALP. Unfortunately the ALP candidate did not make an appearance at the Bayswater forum.

Again the regular issues were raised by the audience with the additional matter of funding for non-government schools.  Reports that the Greens want to cut funding to non-government schools has many people worried and rightly so.

Victorian Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu has confirmed to the ACL that he and his party are opposed to same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption.

Following an article (offline) in yesterday’s The Age entitled ‘Baillieu Warms to Gay Marriage Bill, Brumby passes’, ACL Victorian Director Rob Ward sought clarification on the Opposition’s position and was assured by Mr Baillieu that the Liberal Party has not changed its position on gay marriage, which is really a Federal issue anyway. The Victorian Government is also opposed to gay marriage. Please click here to read Rob Ward’s blog comment on the issue.

The Age today (sorry, not online) carried a headline “Baillieu Warms to Gay Marriage Bill, Brumby passes”. Can you imagine how the calls and emails came in! So, we checked the facts. The Liberal Party has NOT changed its position on gay marriage, which is really a Federal matter anyway. Ted Baillieu has on a number of occasions stated he does not support a change in the current law which defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Interestingly you may have also heard him state just last week that neither he nor the party supports adoption by same-sex couples either.

The first ACL Candidates forum for this election was held  last night, it was attended by a small but interested crowd drawn from local churches in the electorate of Hastings, south east of Melbourne.

All four candidates made their case for the Christian vote, while at the same time sharing something of their personal journey. It was remarked last night that those in the audience possibly had a better knowledge and insight into the candidates than the average voter!

Issues raised by the audience included questions about local issues such as development of industry in Westernport, law and order and a bitumen plant at Crib Point. More broadly questions arose about abortion (more on that later), a lack of respect for authority, employment opportunities, gay marriage, global warming, planning overrides by the government and heroin injecting rooms.

Media Release

The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) today rejected outright claims by Victorian Greens MP Colleen Hartland that the organisation has a “hatred of gays” as an outrageous slur designed to shut down debate on genuine issues of concern.

ACL Victorian Director Rob Ward said the allegation made in today’s The Age was not only unfounded but also a serious attack on the ACL’s right to stand up for Judeo-Christian values.

Media Release

Both the Victorian Labor Government and the Liberal-Nationals Coalition will support the independence of faith-based schools to teach from a Christian perspective but neither party has agreed to amend abortion laws to ensure doctors with a conscientious objection aren’t compelled to refer women for abortions.

The Liberal-Nationals Coalition has committed to remove some aspects of Victoria’s equal opportunity laws which restrict religious freedom, while the Labor Party has put forward initiatives to help rehabilitate young offenders and prevent them from being exposed to prison culture where possible.

Only 23 days to go, 15 candidate forums and lots to do!

Problems for both major parties today with the high profile gay Liberal candidate for Richmond pulling out and standing as an independent, and Bronwyn Pike upsetting parents by allegedly turning a school valedictory address into a political speech.

You will also note that all of the major and some minor parties have provided answers to our “21 questions”.  They are really worth a read, you will find some surprises in what the Greens have to say as well as some magnificent “spin” in some of the answers across the board.

This week’s ‘Political Spot’ presented by Glynis Quinlan features an interview with ACL Victorian Director Rob Ward about the Victorian Government’s all-out pursuit of the gay vote – with the Government recently announcing that it will offer funding and a package of measures to benefit the gay lobby, including a proposal to give them same-sex adoption rights. The program also features an interview with Open Doors Australia CEO Nigel Rooke about a new ‘Free to Believe’ campaign that all supporters of religious freedom are urged to join.

The ‘Political Spot’ is broadcast on Canberra’s 1Way FM and some other Christian stations. Please click here to download the October 26 edition of the ‘Political Spot’.

Both the Government and Opposition ruled out drug injecting rooms for Victoria during last Friday’s Make it Count leaders’ event held in the lead-up to the November 27 election.

Despite Premier John Brumby’s last minute withdrawal because of his father’s sudden illness (and subsequent passing), the event attended by 140 high-level Christian leaders and ACL Supporters was a resounding success.

Education Minister Bronwyn Pike, stepping in for Mr Brumby, and Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu both ruled out copying Sydney’s controversial Kings Cross heroin injecting room.

Church leaders questioned Ms Pike and Mr Baillieu on issues ranging from tackling Victoria’s problem gambling to examining why some late-term aborted babies survive and are left to die.

Who do I vote for? How do I make my vote count for Christian values? This is what many are asking with just weeks until polling day.

For the past 10 years, ACL has worked hard to ensure Christians know as much as possible about the Parties and Candidates standing in elections.

In a non-party partisan way (but critical where necessary), we have sought to help Christians cast an informed vote for those who best support Christian values.

We are pleased to be taking this service to new levels in the 2010 Victorian Election.

We contacted all the Parties contesting the election with 21 questions of key concern to Christians.

All of the well-known Parties have promised to respond, along with some of the less well known.

We will be posting their answers on the victoriavotes.org.au site and hope you might take some time between now and November 27^th to consider their responses. For busy people who don’t have time to go through 21 questions and answers, we have an easy link to “Touchstone Issues”.

This site contains information about ACL’s local Candidate Forums and we are in the process of up-loading short video messages from participating Candidates.

If your local candidate has not submitted a video, you might like to ask them to consider this.

victoriavotes.org.au also contains information on conscience votes held in the Victorian Parliament.

It is important to know where your candidate stands on protecting human life at its most vulnerable.

We’ll be seeking to update this blog daily (after 28^th October) with comment on the remainder of the campaign as it affects Christians.

God bless,

Rob Ward

ACL State Director - Victoria