ADT rules against gay foster parents
The NSW Administrative Decisions Tribunal may have dashed the hopes of two prospective gay foster parents’ of seeing justice for being discriminated against by the Wesley Mission’s fostering agency.
A previous verdict awarded the couple $10,000 in compensation and ordered Wesley Dalmar Child and Family Care to review its policy on gay foster parents and eliminate unlawful discrimination on the ground of homosexuality in its services.
Wesley Dalmar admitted discriminating against the couple but believed they had done so lawfully.
Wesley Mission applied to have the ruling taken to the Supreme Court with the intervention of the NSW Attorney General’s Office, however, the ADT blocked this as it would have placed additional legal costs on the couple, and undertook to review the decision itself.
In the original verdict, the ADT accepted that Wesley Mission was a body established to propagate religion, but did not accept the mission had proven that “monogamous heterosexual partnership within marriage is both the norm and ideal” was a doctrine of the Uniting Church because of the diversity of views on sexuality within the church.
Now the panel has instructed the tribunal to consider what the norm is among Wesleyans.
The couple may appeal, but Christian conservatives have already hailed the ruling.
Archbishop George Pell called it “a step in the right direction”, telling The Daily Telegraph, “It is important to protect people from unjust discrimination, but it is ridiculous to claim discrimination every time we show a preference for some people over others.”
Rev Fred Nile, who quit the Uniting Church over its liberal stance on homosexuality, praised Wesley Mission for standing up to the couple.
“I support the Christian policies of the Wesley Mission and urge the mission to faithfully continue its evangelical Wesleyan Biblical doctrine”, Nile said.
NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby co-convenor Benjamin Keats told Sydney Star Observer the decision was not necessarily a victory for the church.
“The matter is to be reheard on the grounds that the tribunal made errors of law. The appeals panel did not make any determinations on the facts of the matter and their orders do not in any way support the right of church-based agencies to discriminate against same-sex couples,” he said.
Keats said Wesley Mission was alienating a pool of potential carers at a time when there was great need for new foster parents.
“By discriminating against potential carers on the grounds of their sexual orientation, they are denying children the potential to be placed in a loving and stable environment,” he said.
OH please the amount of abuse (sexual or otherwise etc)to children that has occured under the name of religion is ridiculous.It is amazing that people still think it is only heterosexuals that can bring up kids.Well just have a look around..great results as you can see…NOT.Please ..ADT NSW what a total joke you are.I think if you had any common sense and thought…yes THOUGHT for a minute… this couple are going to all this trouble to adopt this kid…I think that says a lot don’t you…apparently not.
I was in foster care and one of the best carers I ever had was gay. It is increadibly disappointing that religious moralist continue to allege that they are acting in our (kids in care) best interests but continue to get it so far wrong. Ever thought about checking what the kids think?!
The issue shouldn’t be about whether your gay or straight – that is irrelevant. The issue is whether you can love, respect and accept a child.
It is nearly 2010 and gay parents at least know how to treat, look after and care for children with respect – unlike some heterosexuals who starve their children in Maitland then put the child’s dead body in a suitcases at the bottom of lake St Clair or deliberately get pregnant to claim the baby bonus with an unwanted child then dump the body of a baby in a tip in Camden.
I agree with you Tony and Micheal and Mary Jane you are spot on.
Having been a welfare worker for many years children would be very unsafe with Wesley Mission. They are in extreme moral danger and I think DOCS should remove the Children from Wesley.
Wesley Mission is simply promoting hate and violence by the implication we are disgusting people to be around children. The children concerned already have a bad start to life and do not need some monster Evanglical Nutters like Wesley, roughing them up in the name of Jesus. Wesley has a peverted view of Christianity.
Places like Wesley get millions in funding from our taxes and use it for this sort of rubbish. They also used our money to pay for solicitors to fight the case.
Our local members need a letter from us saying we do not want our taxes going to hate groups such as Wesley. The Salvos do not do a lot of good and exploit people. At one homeless shelter I saw the job discription said to find out what religion people were, and refer them to the area Commanders. I told them this was against UN conventions and people should not be exploited like this. Imagine if you are gay and at a Salvo shelter and they say you are evil!
It always puzzles me that an organisation that pretends to follow the teach of Christ, who was probably the most non judgemental person to ever walk the earth, and so judgemental.
This is sickening. If the purpose of the mission is to propagate religion, then why the fuck are they allowed to make decisions on the care of vulnerable children? The foster kids in question would be better off in the care of same-sex parents than under the control of religious bigots like the Wesley Mission.
Fully support Dave above. Its also time that the gay community stopped giving money to religious groups like the Salvos etc. I know they do good work, some of which is in the gay community. But it’s high time we supported our own groups & charities and not those of the groups that vilify us. I have stopped giving money to red cross and religious groups and tell the person collecting why I can’t.
Write to your local member, tell them how you feel and complain about the fact that your taxes are going to groups that openly discriminate against you.
Time is coming when there are no legitimate reasons for discrimination against us – in the mean time, you can bet that these groups are doing all they can to remain discriminatory.
Everyone should write to there State MP’s as Wesley Mission is getting millions of dollars from NSW taxpayers to discriminate. Let them know you will not vote for them while they give your taxes towards and Evangelical Christian hate group such as this. Be polite but push the point, do not abuse the politician.
Even request a refund from the Premier for all of your State Taxes that have gone towards this sort hate that promotes violence and loathing towards our community.
I am sure the filth at Wesley Mission would not want pink dollars either and would like to be underfunded if they really think we are so bad around children.
It is time the Evangelical Filth in our community was not funded with the money of the 75% of Australians that support gay marriage.
What an absolute disgrace Wesley is to Christians every where!