Fred Nile Loses Seat, Lyle Shelton Fails To Get Elected To NSW Parliament
Image: Christian Democratic Party founder Fred Nile and Lyle Shelton in happier days. Image: Facebook.
Two candidates who have a history of making anti-LGBTQI statements failed in their bid to get elected to the NSW Parliament. Rev Fred Nile lost his NSW Upper House seat which he has held for over 44 years, while Lyle Shelton failed in his bid to get elected to Parliament.
Nile, the founder of the Christian Democratic Party, had announced his retirement from politics in October 2022 after a four-decade stint in Parliament, only to re-enter the race in March 2023 as number two on his wife Silvana Nile’s Revive Australia Party ticket. Nile lost his seat while his wife failed to get enough votes to make it to Parliament.
Shelton, who was anointed and later dis-endorsed by Nile as his successor to his NSW Upper House seat, too lost the elections. The Independent candidate for NSW’s Upper House was backed by conservative Christian organisations including Family First.
Shelton’s Family First Party
Shelton blamed the loss on being unable to register his party, which led him to run as an Independent.
“As you know, we were unable to register the party in time due to strict NSW Electoral Commission rules which required a 16-month lead time. This meant we could not have our party name on the ballot paper which meant the only option was for me to run as the lead candidate of a Family First-backed team of independents,” Shelton said in a statement.
Shelton told his followers that he would be “completing our New South Wales and federal registration is next along with preparations for the Queensland, ACT and Northern Territory elections next year.”
He did not miss the opportunity to take potshots at his rivals and rail against the LGBTQI community. “Yet again, the Liberals have failed for the fourth time in 12 months (SA, Vic, federally and now NSW) with social (transgender) and economic policies (net zero) that mimic Labor, the Greens and Teals,” added Shelton.
Shelton continues with his anti-LGBTQI advocacy on social media. In the past, the former leader of the “No” campaign during the 2017 national marriage equality vote has targeted everything from rainbow flags, Rainbow Path at Prince Alfred Park in Sydney, to Drag Queen storytime, Safe Schools program, The Wiggles and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s presence at Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
Nile Rails Against Drag Queens And LGBTQI Community
Nile has for years famously prayed for rain during the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras celebrations, and referred to homosexuality as a “life choice”. Last year, Nile claimed that “Christians are not welcome in Australian Rules Football” after Andrew Thorburn resigned as CEO of Essendon Football Club. Last month, Nile had collapsed at a protest organised by far-right Christian men against comedian Ruemeb Kaye’s Jesus joke.
After the rally, he ranted against Drag Queens, ABC and the LGBTQI Community. “Drag queens are reading to our toddlers in public libraries and on ABC’s iconic children’s program ‘Play School’,” Nile posted on social media.
“The attack on children continues with the Disney empire promoting pro-LGBTIQ+ movies,” he said. Nile falsely alleged that programs such as ‘Safe Schools’ are “social engineering experiments advocated by the LGBTQIA+ community to convince our kids that sex is gender fluid despite even evolutionary scientists saying gender can’t be non-binary.”
“We need to fight back and reclaim what is taught to our children and not allow the LGBTQIA+ advocates to dictate the social education curriculum in schools,” Nile said. He has not yet addressed the NSW election results.
Fred Nile was never ever going to be elected at No.2 on a BTL ticket so don’t make more of it than it is – he simply stood to support his unsuited-to-politics wife. Shelton was never going to be elected either as there has never been an independent elected to NSW Upper House so again stop making more of it than it is – they were merely trying to wave the true ‘rainbow’ flag.
Fantastic to see these unChristian Christians lose support & lose and power they had in politics. The people have spoken.
Great to see the True Sinners getting their always overdue comeuppances! Shame they never considered taking Latham into their wicked flock, we could begin to pretend THEY were a Recurring societal Ailment, we took forever to fully shake!! Sky Networst will always be ready & willing to have them, no less!
“THE FRED AND LYLE SHOW ” – now there is a great idea for an ‘un-reality show’ for one of the networks. I would expect pixilation of the sensitive areas of course, no shots below the chin line, that’s where all the naughtiness starts.
Good riddance to an era of hate, loathing and homophobia.
44 years too many.
It was a truly memorable farce to see Fred and Lyle arguing with each other over who was the “most Christian”. Neither had the wit or wisdom to realise that they were utterly absurd and self-defeating.
Good we Don’t need Him !!!!