Bill Shorten confirms he will speak on marriage equality support at ACL conference
OPPOSITION Leader Bill Shorten has confirmed he will use his keynote address at the Australian Christian Lobby’s National Conference this weekend as an opportunity to state his support for marriage equality.
A spokesperson from Shorten’s office has told the Star Observer that “Mr Shorten is a supporter of marriage equality and he will be making his views clear” when he addresses the ACL this weekend.
The news comes after weeks of speculation as to whether Shorten will continue to go ahead and speak at the conference despite mounting pressure to withdraw, and as Canberra’s Park Hyatt hotel faced escalating criticism this week for hosting the event that starts on Friday.
Vocal critics of the ACL have targeted the hotel via social media, asking it to reconsider hosting a group they believe is an organised and wealthy political lobby group that actively campaigns against LGBTI rights.
“I can understand that you might have initially thought the ACL booking for this Friday was for a lobby group that represented Australian Christians,” rights activist Simon Hunt, aka Pauline Pantsdown, wrote on Facebook.
“Sadly, this is an anti-Muslim, anti-LGBTI fringe group that support the expulsion of LGBTI children from schools, misquote science in order to equate LGBTI people with disease, and lie to a lot more people than just a hotel booking agent.”
A spokesperson from the hotel chain has told the Star Observer that it is genuinely taking the comments on board and reiterated the company’s long-time support for the LGBTI community. However, the conference will go ahead as planned.
“Hyatt Hotel Canberra is listening to feedback via social media channels, we hear the LGBTI community’s concern that the ACL are holding an event at the hotel and would like you to know that we don’t always agree with the views of those who meet at our hotels but we don’t discriminate against guests who want to conduct lawful business at Hyatt hotels,” the spokesperson said.
The hotel chain also stated that the ACL choosing the Hyatt as their host venue did not “amount to our endorsement of any particular group of people”.
The Hyatt Hotel chain has consistently performed well in the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Commission — the largest advocacy group for LGBTI Americans — often placing in the top 10 of LGBTI-friendly workplaces in the US.
ACL managing director Lyle Shelton said that the organisation has been saddened by the “vitriolic” social media campaign, which included ACL members being likened to Neo-Nazis and the Klu-Klux Klan.
“Apart from being untrue, this is very distressing to me, my staff and our families,” Shelton said in an ACL statement.
“Pearl clutching, haters, bigots, faeces, racist, and cult are just some of the vile insults in post after post urging our conference venue, the Hyatt, to cancel our conference.
“We have a view about marriage that is the same as a strong majority of federal parliamentarians and yet it seems that this is what is causing the outpouring of vitriol against us on Facebook.”
Shelton challenged the ACL’s critics to provide proof that the organisation was the hate group they have accused of being.
“We have been involved in a robust political debate, driven by others, in recent years. I would invite anyone to produce evidence that we are any of the things of which we are being accused,” he said.
“It would be a sad day for free speech and tolerance if promoting marriage was no longer allowed.”
In emails obtained by the Star Observer that were distributed to ACL members, chief of staff Martyn Iles said the conference has “come under an extraordinary and unprovoked attack”.
“A number of extreme gay activists are trying to shut down our National Conference,” Iles wrote.
“They have left hundreds, if not thousands of hateful reviews on the Hyatt Hotel’s website, attacking them for hosting our conference about religious freedom.
“These comments are disgusting.”
Iles also highlighted supposed contradictions in ACL opponents attacking a company that actually supports LGBTI rights.
“They’re even more extraordinary given the fact the Hyatt company have been one of the biggest global supporters of redefining marriage,” he said.
“Now the Hyatt have learned what fickle friends sections of the gay lobby can be.
“We’ve held many wonderful, Christ-honouring events there. And despite our difference of opinion over marriage, they’ve always treated us professionally and with dignity and respect.”
In response to continued criticism for not pulling out of the conference all together, the Opposition Leader’s spokesperson reiterated that he often spoke to a range of organisations that held diverse views.
“Of course, he does not always agree with all of the views of those organisations he speaks to,” the spokesperson told the Star Observer.
“It is important for the Leader of the Opposition to speak to the Australian community about what he believes and what Labor’s priorities are.”
Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard pulled out of the 2012 ACL national conference following claims from deputy chairman Jim Wallace where he inferred the risk from a “homosexual lifestyle” presented a greater health hazard than smoking.
Gillard described the comments as “heartless and wrong”.
Wallace will speak again this weekend’s conference, along with Baptist pastor and radio host Karl Faase, incoming Sydney Catholic Archbishop Anthony Fisher, religious liberty analyst Elizabeth Kendal, Assistant Immigration Minister Michaelia Cash, researcher Paul Henderson and Blair federal Labor MP Shayne Neumann.
The ACL is nothing but a fringe hate group. Religions in general are fringe hate groups that escape the scrutiny of the law. Religions need to be investigated, scrutinized and licensed and given no tax exemptions. Any other organisations that incite so much hate in a society would be closed down and banned.
One female Mayor in Texas (who is also a lesbian) is trying to bring in legislation to regulate religions and has started by requesting that examples of pastors’ sermons be approved by her office.
As for Bill Shorten, his intentions are good, but I can’t see why he has wasted his time giving this hate group any legitimacy or press. They should be avoided, shunned and marginalized.
While I don’t agree with the comments in this blog, I do agree that Bill Shorten should not be speaking at ACL’s National Conference tonight.
Bill Shorten (the rapist) and Tony Abbott (the Catholic mad monk) is supporting a Christian Conference paedophile factory, we gay Aussies – including straight Aussies are completely bloody fucked!
Bill Shorten is refusing to attend a Marriage Equality function at the Hyatt this weekend, instead he his giving his public office support to the Australian Christian Lobby.
Given Shorten has set the party up so it cannot never deliver equality, by having no binding vote, it is clear Bill Shorten only wants to appear to support equality, but does not actually want to make it happen.
He better if he knows what’s good for him. :P
No progress on marriage equality in Australia as per usual – all because the ACL likes to influence political decision making on politicians/lawmakers of this country!
I thought we had a “complete separation between church and state”, so why is the ACL still influencing marriage law policy of the Government of the day? It seems to me that the ACL are the Government and Tony Abbott and Bill Shorten are plain “puppet masters” for show!
The ACL are nothing more than bigoted fascist pigs!
There I just said it!
32 US states have marriage equality now! –
How many states in Australia have marriage equality? NIL
Australia is the land were time stands completely still and frozen and just bluntly refuses to move forward!
It sounds to me that Labor’s Bill Shorten, is the fox in charge of the hen house!
Vote green choose your own preferences
Bwahahahahahaha
It is very disappointing to see such a nice hotel become a haven for a mob who has advocated violence against GLBTI Australians, and a political leader of a major party, giving the group the legitimacy of his high public office.
Life can be hard enough for some of us who have been assaulted, or those who grieve for loved ones lost in hate crimes, but now the Hyatt on their own facebook page has some attendees congratulating them, and writing GLBTI people are deviants and the usual hate material. What do we do to deviants, or those who are an abomination or a cancer? Some have used the Hyatt facebook page to even call GLBTI people Nazis, so I am surprised the management is endorsing such highly inflammatory hate material given thousands of GLBTI people were targeted and killed by the Nazi movement, by allowing some of the attendees to use the Hyatt brand to promote and agenda of hate and intolerance on their facebook site. This is an agenda that causes great harm to Australians, including some of the Hyatt Staff, I am not sure how else to put it, when you allow your facebook page to be used to promote harm to your own staff then what does that say about your organizations values.
As an employer, I would have thought the Hyatt would have the safety of staff and guest as a paramount concern. It would appear that this is not the case. It is difficult to see how people are not put at risk when a group who tries to get others to think about GLBTI people as a cancer, is using the Hyatt facilities to promote that hate and bigotry. I hope the management comes to the realisation that for the safety of staff and guests, the conference should not be held at the hotel. If is not acceptable to hold a Klu Klux Klan gathering, I am not sure why it is ok to have a group who targets Australians based on their sexuality.
One sided commentary here leaves me with no choice but to write and provide a balanced view. 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.
I am not anti gay Dan but sodomy is not a right… yet!
Wow – quite apart from the hypocrisy of the ALP on that issue, as if our objections to the ACL are JUST about marriage equality! It’s a little bit more than that Bill, and this response just totally misses the point.
I see it as positive… an opportunity to say it to their face – “you’re wrong!” – so that they know they no longer represent the mainstream
Bullshitting Bill!
Why is he even giving this bunch of non-representative fanatics the time of day? You’re pathetic, Shorten! When Labor loses the next election, and any chance of marriage equality for another federal term, we will have you and your stupid factions to blame.
HM Queenie hmmmmmmmm
Make me sick to hear this.
Bill the dill…
dats hilarious
an alleged rapist talking about marriage equality – with his dismal marriage record and inability to keep his little Billy in his pants
We hear it on good advice there will may some little surprises with the food at the proposed function? nothing too serious.
As usual, Australia is 25 years behind the western world. I’m sick of living in this red neck colony, I wish I could go back and live in Europe again!
This guy needs to go. Anthony Albanese as Labor leader.
I will have to say, as a Christian and a supporter of marriage equality and a standing that ALL people are equal, that I disagree with most of the posts here. The leader of the opposition is going into the mouth of the lion here, he is going to lay it out that Labor disagree with the ACL position. Bill speaking is not a support at all, he will be opposing them on their own turf. I have grown tired over this last year of the protest movement and its banning of everything and creating a sense of discussion avoidance. To oppose you must also listen, to fight, you must also allow peace. Now Julia GIllard didn’t move through will new laws because they would not have passed – remember both sides of parliament have problem MPs on this issue. What point is there pushing forward a law you know will fail; what this does is send a message to the electorate no one wants the new laws, which is wrong. Stalling the actual law allows for the swaying of opinion and minds – that is how politics works; in fact it is how a free society works. The equality fight is on us all, and part of that fight is actually facing the ACL where they are, not just through small acts, but by standing in front of their congress and announcing for everyone to hear, they do not have the support of the ALP. I disagree with this anti stance so many want to take. It have never achieved anything, and Julia Gillard’s non attendance achieved nothing either. he whole stance was reduced to two small lines in some article – big deal. Bill will get a half page of protest and this will be good for the cause.
That ACL is nothing but a gay hate group and Shorten should not attend.
Do you know that all the things condemned by Leviticus in the Bible as abominations are completely ignored by Christians and no longer deemed a sins, EXCEPT one, the part about “man lying with man”, that is still frowned upon and condemned as a SIN.
These are SINS according to Leviticus which Christians do today: eat pork and shellfish, tattoo their bodies, cut the sides of their hair and beards, free slaves, marry again, keep Sunday holy not the Sabbath, wear cloths of 2 weaves, etc. You can also kill your wife if she is not a virgin on your wedding night, and kill disobedient children…
There are NO references from Jesus in the New Testament about homosexuality being a sin, but several stern condemnations by Jesus himself about adultery.
How can Shorten possibly stand up against such self-righteous justification and bigotry, unless of course he calls them out at their game and he tells them what I have just said about Leviticus and the new testament.
Bill Shorten is pathetic.