Australian Christian Lobby dinner to be “gaycrashed”

Australian Christian Lobby dinner to be “gaycrashed”

CANBERRA’S Park Hyatt Hotel will play host to two different ideological groups tonight, with Australian Christian Lobby members set to meet partygoers from the capital’s LGBTI community.

Despite the their National Conference not officially starting until Saturday morning, tonight will see ACL members and supporters gather for an exclusive dinner at the hotel — but they are expected to be joined in the venue by a group that was not on the invite list.

Organised by members of Canberra’s LGBTI community, the Australian People’s Lobby aims to give ACL opponents a chance to peacefully make their presence known at the hotel that has come under criticism for hosting what they believe is an anti-gay lobby group.

“The party will be an opportunity for the LGBT community to support and affirm one another, provide an opportunity for the Hyatt to reaffirm its commitment to the LGBTI community, and provide public faces to the people whose rights and dignity the ACL wish to deny,” organisers said in a statement posted on the Equal Marriage Rights Facebook page.

Similar to Sydney’s Fagtag — where a predominantly straight venue is “turned gay” for a night — tonight’s event will also be joined by members of Canberra’s Gaycrash party.

Marriage equality advocate Troy Simpson, one of the vocal opponents urging Park Hyatt to cancel this weekend’s conference, said that the venue’s decision to go ahead as planned with the ACL clashed with the company’s pro LGBTI equality stance for guests and employees.

“What we have here is a fundamental clash of values… the Hyatt ought to be praised for their staunchly pro-LGBTI stance… they have a Facebook Page dedicated to eliminating bullying of LGBTI people in the workplace,” Simpson told Canberra radio 2CCC yesterday.

He also highlighted areas where Canberra Park Hyatt management have reached out to the LGBTI community to reaffirm their support, namely the possible prize of a getaway for an Australian Marriage Equality fundraiser.

The Star Observer understands that discussion is also underway within the organisation on whether other Hyatt venues would host future ACL functions again.

“[Hyatt possibly] suggesting that, next year, the ACL might find a different venue that better matches the ACL’s own ‘values’, organisers of tonight’s party said.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has confirmed his attendance at the conference to deliver its keynote speech on Saturday morning.

He has said his speech would give him the chance to speak of his strong support for marriage equality – a point that many ACL members, including managing director Lyle Shelton, are vocally against.

The Star Observer will be attending and live-tweeting the conference on Saturday.

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13 responses to “Australian Christian Lobby dinner to be “gaycrashed””

  1. This is very childish behaviour by the gay lobby group. There is a lot of hate and vitreol here from many people who feel marginalised and rejected by society. However, because someone supports the current definition of marriage it doesn not make them bigots, haters of intolerant.

    They are concerned for the basic humanity and right of children to grow up with the best chance of a good future. If you disagree and think the institution of government should encourage and allow same sex marriages then you need to voice your opinions on why, not attack the ACL with pubescent anger and emotions. So far there has been no argument that will change my mind.

    When laws are acted in society they are for the general good, not for the exceptional circumstances, so that MOST people benefit. If this is the case for children in gay marriages then most people would agree with it, right now they don’t and that is justifiable.

    • It is in fact ‘childish’ of you to defend the Christian hate group ACL and all the damage they cause to gays many of whom are from Christian families. This hate group only represents a minority of Christians, and their ethos is more fascist than Christian.

  2. Honestly they need to grow up, trying to destroy a business in the process of promoting ones view isn’t acceptable on any level. The ACL has the same right as anyone else to hold views and hold a conference. There are a lot of mis truths and myths being circulated in relation to this.

    If the Gay and Lesbian community want to be taken seriously they have to do better than this. Targeting and attacking groups because they don’t hold the same view/views isn’t acceptable. If they want to push their agenda this isn’t the way to do it.

  3. It is interesting that the cult the Christian Lobby, argues for free speech for themselves only, and is against a young gay person who might declare there sexuality at school, demanding if they say such things at school, then the school should expell them. The same cult argues only they should be allowed to declare a marriage, and not others. The Christian Lobby has breath taking hypocrisy, playing the victim at their upmarket bigot conference. All this talk from them about free speech is hysterical, given they seek to ban couples from saying ” I do “.

    The Hyatt, has so far allowed some supporters of the Christian Lobby to call on the death of staff and guest, calling for the death of homosexuals on their facebook page. Some supporters have called GLBTI people deviants, and a cancer, which is a call to violence against staff and hotel guest, as what else do we do to cancer but try and kill it.

    More importantly, the the antics of the ACL cult and their supporters bid to play the victim, shows a lack of insight. It might well be legal to give hate speeches, but it does not make the Haytt right to allow their hotel to be used as a platform to promote violence. At one time Mercedes and BMW were happy to use GLBTI and Jewish slaves in their factories in Germany, as the law allowed them. Not so long ago in Australia, Aboriginal people were not legally counted as citizens with the same rights, so they had less rights, unless an organization chose to give it to them. So the Hyatt can legally accept the ACL, or it can legally reject the conference given the threats of violence some ACL supporters have given. The question is about values, and the Hyatt is in damage control.

    The Chicago Office of the Hyatt has had an urgent meeting with the Hyatt over the lack of judgement and values on display in Canberra. As such, a press release has been issued banning future ACL conferences, as the ACL is not reflective of the values of the Hyatt. The Hyatt has also offered to help raise funds for Marriage Equality, and also host a free function with profits from the Australian Christian Lobby attending the Hyatt. It sounds to me like a positive move, but great damage has been done, and it might take years as the Hyatt has acted legally, but demonstrated a lack of values, not that different to those who would hold a Klu Klux klan meeting at their hotel. It might be legal, but it sends a damaging message about your values.

    Bill Shorten has demonstrated poor judgement, along with the Hyatts initial acceptance of the booking. I think the Hyatt has learned some important lessons, and should not be punished any further as they are demonstrating they are genuinely sorry. It is a shame the Labor Leader Bill Shorten chose to speak to a cult giving them legitimacy, given they openly call for genuine harm to Australians, including Labor supporters. But we have to remember when dealing with Bill Shorten, he had a binding vote going to war, but does not want a united party when dealing with equality.