Marriage Equality advocates have welcomed an announcement by the Prime Minister that she will no longer be speaking at the upcoming Australian Christian Lobby conference.
Australian Marriage Equality National Convener Alex Greenwich said:
“We thank the Prime Minister for so strongly rejecting the extremism of the Australian Christian Lobby. This news will also be welcomed by the majority of Christians and Labor voters who support marriage equality”.
The Prime Ministers announcement follows a plea from Australian Marriage Equality for her pull out of their October event, after the ACL’s Jim Wallace said yesterday that smoking is healthier than gay marriage.
In a statement issued by the Prime Minister, Ms Gillard said:
“I believe yesterday’s comments by Jim Wallace were offensive. To compare the health effects of smoking cigarettes with the many struggles gay and lesbian Australians endure in contemporary society is heartless and wrong.”
Mr Greenwich said the ACL continued to marginalise themselves with their obsession on opposing marriage equality in such an alarmist way:
“Australians continue to reject the tone used by the Australian Christian Lobby in this debate. It’s sad this organisation continues to misrepresent Christians and campaign on fear rather than facts”.
For more information contact Alex Greenwich on 0421 316 335