Abbott’s Win (on World AIDS Day) Cements Religious Grasp on Parliament

Tony Abbott’s win in today’s leadership ballot for the Liberal Party was further evidence of the
increasing control that the Christian churches and the religious right were having over Australian
politics.

Australian Sex Party convenor and candidate for the Higgins by election, Fiona Patten, said that
every major political party in Australia was now headed by a deeply committed Christian man.
“Nearly forty per cent of federal MPs are members of the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship and Abbott’s leadership role will encourage more Liberal pre selections to go to outspoken Christians rather than moderates”, she said. “It’s a shocker for the millions of Australians who are atheists,
agnostics, Jews, Muslims or Buddhists.”

Abbott’s ascension, on World Aids Day, was a stark reminder to voters that many of Tony Abbott’s
supporters had radical agendas that included a belief that AIDS was God’s payback to gay men for
practising anal sex and that the Victorian bushfires were God’s judgement on new abortion laws.

“Tony Abbott’s elevation to Leader of the Opposition will see him and Kevin Rudd agreeing on
policies with a religious edge to them that Malcolm Turnbull would never have agreed to”, said Ms
Patten. “Tony Abbott will support Rudd’s mandatory internet filtering scheme now and we will see
him strongly support Rudd’s opposition to gay marriage and other gay rights issues”.

Mr Abbott is a firm believer in the rights of schools to discriminate against gays and lesbians. Ms
Patten said that Mr Abbott’s record as a former Health Minister on the drug RU486 and overseas aid
for sexual health centres was discriminatory and highly influenced by his religious values rather
than his health credentials.

Abbott’s failure to condemn his close friend, Archbishop George Pell for threatening politicians with
‘religious consequences’ during the stem cell debates in 2007, was ‘deplorable’ she said.
Ms Patten said that the The Australian Sex Party was now the only registered political party in
Australia that was actively resisting the increasing push of religion into politics.

Fiona Patten: 0413 734 613
Robbie Swan: 0413 871 604

Australian Sex Party: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Ph 02 62852477, www.sexparty.org.au