Noble Park ex-gay meeting cancelled
Updated April 1, 3.55pm
The Greater Dandenong Council has now also refused to allow Adam Hood to speak at the Council-owned Jan Wilson Community Centre in Nobel Park on Sunday.
The news follows a decision by Stonnington Council and a catholic college in Queensland to refuse Hood a venue to speak about his ‘conversion’ from being gay to straight.
Following request for comment from the Star Observer this morning, Greater Dandenong Council said the church group staging the event – the Miracle Christian Centre – uses the venue regularly, however due to the level of community complaint over the event, the Council would withdraw use of the venue.
“The church group is a regular hirer of this facility, and has a normal booking agreement with Council which we will uphold,” a Council spokeswoman said.
“The speaker has been independently hired by the group to address their congregation, and Council does not support nor endorse any of the group’s chosen speakers or the topics they discuss.
“On this occasion however, given the number of concerns raised, we have asked them to cancel the event.
UPDATED April 1, 2.50pm
City of Stonnington has informed the Star Observer the Adam Hood ex-gay speaking event to take place on Saturday night has been cancelled.
“Whilst Grattan Gardens Community Centre is owned by Council, bookings are made and managed through the New Hope Foundation which manages and operates the facility, so Council was not aware of the event taking place until it was brought to our attention by the community,” the Council said in a statement.
“The City of Stonnington is a supportive, inclusive and vibrant municipality that embraces diversity.
“Given the nature of the event and the safety concerns that have been raised, Council has requested that New Hope Foundation cancel the event. Council understands this has occurred.”
UPDATED April 1, 10.00am
St Columban College in Caboolture, Queensland has cancelled Adam Hood’s speaking event, which was due to take place in their school hall.
College principal Ann Rebgetz said in a statement the Catholic school was not informed of the content of the speaking event and have withdrawn use of the venue because the event is “not in line with the college’s Christian values.”
“Executive Director of Catholic Education, David Hutton, said the Catholic Church abhors all forms of homophobia and will not provide a venue for homophobes to spout their views,” Rebgetz said.
Miracle Christian Center president Dorian Ballard told the Courier Mail the event was not homophobic.
“We are not homophobic, many of us have come out of the homosexual lifestyle… We are not afraid of homosexuals; we love them, we’ve ministered to them for years,” he said.
The Star Observer is awaiting comment from Stonnington Council if similar action will be taken in Melbourne.
An event encouraging gay men to convert to heterosexuality will take place in Melbourne’s gay heartland this weekend and move on to Queensland next Tuesday.
Self-described ex-gay Adam Hood from the US is set to speak to a Melbourne audience about how he found God and ‘overcame’ his homosexuality.
An advertisment from the Miracle Christian Centre — which has a base in Noble Park — says Hood is a “straight man who used to be a homosexual”.
“Can a homosexual be free from same sex thoughts, attractions and feelings,” the advertisement said.
“Adam Hood says ‘yes’, so come and hear Adam tell his story of how he was set free from homosexuality and now leads a strong Christian life with his wife and family.”
The event, which has been advertised in Leader newspapers, is set to take place this Saturday, April 2, at Grattan Gardens Community Centre in Prahran.
Hood is also scheduled to speak at an event in Noble Park and in Queensland.
Hood made headlines last year when a video of him discussing his ‘conversion’ was posted online.
Seriously, when are ugly heterosexuals going to stop trying to force us fabulous gay people into their “lifestyle choice”?
When are they FINALLY going to wake up and realise that leading a hetero life feels just as un-natural to us as them living a gay life.
This queen has just found a new way to get out and find guys for anonymous sex !! oh yeah but he’s straight > LOL
Freedom of speech is not an excuse to incite violence against people. We are called Evil and an Abomination by this guy, it is even broadcast on Youtube – that is an incitement to commit violence as what else do you do an Abomination or something Evil but fight it.
Freedom of speech comes with a responsibility. We would not accept this for people of a different race so sexuality is no different.
The right for people to be safe, out ways the right of people to get others to hurt them.
We have many laws against speech that seeks to hurt others. If I say I will kill you, I can be charged. Extending this protection to groups like us in the community is no different. We feature high in hate crimes for a reason- because of the constant vilification.
I am all for free speech, but not the right to promote violence against innocent people.
wake up and smell the coffee, dorothy.
How quickly we all forget!!
It wasn’t that long ago our gay community fort long and hard to be heard, we protested in the streets, were bashed my police, our advertising materials were refused to be published, community leaders put road blocks every step of the way to ensure we could be heard.
My how the tables have turned!!
Look this guy is a fruit cake any sound rational mind will see him as just a religious nutter. This IS a democracy, and for democracy to work you need freedom a speech, even if you don’t like what they are saying, everyone has a right to a voice.
That was our argument those years ago.
Hypocrisy is all I can see. Not happy Jan !!!
Ange
Well said! Let us all thank those decent enough to help our community and those who might of been greatly hurt at time of crisis in their lives.
Well done everyone, but let’s remember our manners and thank the City Councils involved for their quick and decisive action.
It’s one thing to complain, but let’s say thanks too!!!
Straight?? Straight up the arse!!!
I sent an email to the mayor of the City of Stonnington and the CEO, and this is the response I got:
Dear Colin,
Thank you for sharing your concern with me about this matter.
The advertised event at Grattan Gardens Community Centre is not a Council-run or Council-sponsored event.
Whilst Grattan Gardens Community Centre is owned by Council, bookings are made and managed through the New Hope Foundation which manages and operates the facility, so Council was not aware of the event taking place until it was brought to our attention by the community.
The City of Stonnington is a supportive, inclusive and vibrant municipality that embraces diversity.
Given the nature of the event and the safety concerns that have been raised, Council has requested that New Hope Foundation cancel the event.
Kind Regards
Cr Melina Sehr JP,
Mayor of the City of Stonnington
That scarf is as GAY as Christmas! Hmmmm, straight huh?
Shes on grindr
This guy is just so so gay ! (in the true sense of the word )
All Melbourne people please go to this meeting en-mass and cause a stir and end it. Strength in numbers. This nutter must be stopped.
Even though 2 of Australia’s biggest health professional bodies, the AMA and APS condemn conversion therapy, this guy thinks he knows better? Why do people with queerphobic attitudes promote unhealthy behaviours?
its a pity he’s “straight”…. id do him ;-P
Is this guy really being serious?? Stonnington Council should really pull their heads out of their arses for even having this guy in their paper when two of the biggest gay populated suburbs are in their that council area.
This is an event to stay well clear of. The event’s organisers have paid for advertising in Leader newspapers and issued press releases to mainstream media in an attempt to drum up attention and promote their views. Oxygen is what they want; protests and resultant media attention feeds them the oxygen they crave.
We should steer clear of the event and instead address with the City of Stonnington how it is that their venue rental policy can still allow, in 2011, the use of their facilities for purposes driven by homophobia, prejudice and hate.
If anything is sin, it is him. He is a nutter and still gay Id say.
The scarf just does not work it is just too matchy matchy.
This guy needs help ! Serious headcase !
Geez Louise – don’t we really think it is time to stop giving attention, airtime, column inches etc to people who are far too keen to tell everyone else that they are wrong (based on any one of a number of irrational belief systems)???? It is not that fine a line between enabling and promoting the delusional and providing informative reference material – I really think a bit more discretion is required across the providers and consumers of media to demonstrate that we are more intelligent and thoughtful than a herd of gossipers.
In short – I don’t care who he f*cks (as long as it is consensual) and I don’t care what he thinks about who I f*ck. I don’t care what you think about who or how I f*ck. I don’t care about who or how you f*ck – unless I am involved in the process, of course, then hopefully what I think about it is way more interesting than what colour scarf you are/were wearing, or how the f*ck matches up to my interpretation of some stale old written words.
Ahhhh, more smoke and mirros from the rapidly decaying Christian movement ..
i can’t wait for someone to organise a tour to heal people’s reliance on a mythical figure
I can understand where he is comming from as I was once part of the exgay movement. People have good reasons to join it however there is no real cure homosexuality.
With that guy I dont believe he was gay when he believed he was gay but bisexual if he claims now to live with an woman. With people that claim they used to be gay and now straight and living an straight relationship were not gay to begin with but really bisexual.
All this makes me think. On the Dairy farm I spent my teen years on, there were some lesbian cows who could not read the Bible. There was a gay bull that used to get his balls zapped by the vet, to get sperm, as he only loved other bulls, and there was a gay rooster. If only they could of read the Bible and be saved!
I have to wonder about these people, do they like milk in there coffee or tea? I mean any herd of cows has some girls who like girls, but their milk taste the same. So why all the fuss?
Sounds to me like this bloke is bisexual. I mean you do not wake-up and hate sex. It looks to me like he struggles with his identity.
This makes me think about my local Anglican Bishop who likes and accepts GLBTI people and even advocates for Same-Sex Marriage. He is happily married with three children! At the Kevin Rudd 20/20 Summit it was an Anglican Priest who raised Same-Sex Marriage and 99% percent of the people agreed with him.
Perhaps this fellow would like to spend time with one of the Uniting Church young gay groups. I am sure some Christian Ministers can help him reconcile himself with the Bible.
Scientist can now replicate Lesbian mice and gay fruit flies. We know so much more then the observations of animals.
I think this fellow is insecure. I mean why would you travel half way around the world telling people in other countries how to live! Arrogance and insecurity?
Im quite sure wearing scarves is pretty much a given for homosexuality. I say we all go to church and try to convert christians to homosexuality.
Oh, purlease. If he’s straight then Im a 21yo muscle boy :-/
Lerv-erly gold embossed scarf he’s wearing. Now what colour is that? Camel, Piccolo or an enchantingly named shade of beige, perhaps? I doubt he’d call it brown!
Between the hand gestures, camp lisp and speech, poofy hair, and perty looks, I’d say he’s been well brain washed to be in that kind of denial!
According to the Bible, homosexuality is an abomination. yet that does not stop him matching his jacket and scarf to the decor. Clearly he’s not quite willing to give up everything to be straight…
Can Melbourne unleash some Ninja super seductors to cure him of his “cure”?
NICE SCARF MARY!!!
this guy is nuttier than Tom Cruise ….