View Australian Fishing and Lifestyle Party Responses

1. Freedom of religion

Australia has a proud record for protecting freedom, but increasingly faith-based organisations and individuals are unduly prevented from giving expression to their religion, or being pressured to act against their conscientiously-held beliefs, particularly in the areas of employment, service delivery, and education. Would your Party ensure that, like political parties, churches and religious bodies have their right to employ staff who share their ethos protected?

• AFLP believe churches and religious organisations should have the right to employ staff who share their ethos in executive positions and in the ministry.
• In the situation of schools, AFLP believe teachers and other staff can be employed who do not have the same religious ethos.

2. Prayer in parliament

The preamble to Australia’s Constitution states that our nation is “humbly relying on the blessing of Almighty God”. Does your Party commit to maintaining the convention of opening Parliament each day exclusively with the Lord’s Prayer?

• The Australian Fishing and Lifestyle Party does not commit to maintaining the convention of opening parliament each day exclusively with the Lord’s Prayer. 
• The party would prefer a non-sectarian approach to reflect the current multicultural nature of Australia and freedom of religious expression by all Australians.

3. Overseas aid

Will your Party confirm the current Government commitment to contribute 0.5% Gross National Income to international aid and development efforts by 2015? What timeline will it put in place to reach the internationally agreed target of 0.7% GNI?

• The level of overseas aid provided by Australia should always be tied to our sovereign interests and economic prosperity.
• We should contribute as much as we can afford to help less privileged peoples.
• We should not be tied to international targets, but make our own decisions on such issues in a clear, open, and frank manner.

4. Refugees

The immigration debate is complex, involving the competing priorities of meeting our moral obligation to offer asylum to genuine refugees, while minimising vulnerability to people smuggling, and ensuring border protection. What measures will your Party take to balance these competing priorities?

• Have closed borders.
• Have a transparent, compassionate immigration policy at a level that does not exceed our society’s capacity to cope.

5. Religious security

Many vulnerable people experience intolerable suffering in various countries due to persecution and a lack of religious freedom, often because of laws that forbid practice of non state religions. What would your Party do to encourage apostasy laws to be repealed in such countries, so that people are free to follow their own religious convictions without fear? What else would your Party do to support vulnerable people groups overseas, and respond to specific instances of religious or ethnic persecution?

• We would encourage all countries to allow freedom of all ethnic groups and religions to express their beliefs peacefully.

6. Homelessness and housing affordability

According to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, on any given night there are approximately 100,000 homeless Australians. What policies will your Party implement to address this problem? How will your Party respond to the issue of housing affordability?

• The primary requirement for overcoming poverty, homelessness, and housing is a solid economy and job creation.
• Fostering employment opportunities in Australia by retaining Australian industries instead of outsourcing overseas.

7. Taxation considerations

The ‘Henry review’ of Australia’s taxation system recommended the winding back of Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) arrangements. FBT concessions make churches and church-based service-providers in the health, community and welfare sectors more financially viable, ensuring the maintenance of services to some of our most vulnerable people. Would your Party support the retention of FBT concessions for churches and faith-based charities?

• Our party would support the retention of fringe benefit concessions for churches and faith-based charities where they are providing not-for-profit social services.

8. Cloning

Given that the scientific basis for ‘therapeutic cloning’ has changed since the Federal Parliament considered cloning in 2006, and that there is now an entirely ethical and uncontentious method to obtain the same specialised stem cells that cloning scientists have never managed to obtain, does your Party support a new conscience vote on laws permitting the creation of cloned human embryos solely for research?

• The party does not support the creation of cloned human embryos solely for research.

9. Euthanasia

Euthanasia is the intentional killing of a ‘suffering’ patient. Legalised euthanasia alters the social contract with the vulnerable and ‘unwanted’ in society, who will perceive the so-called ‘right to die’ more as a ‘duty to die’, and corrupts the doctor-patient relationship in profound ways. While the vote may be a conscience one, will your Party reject any moves to legalise euthanasia?

• Our party supports euthanasia.

10. Abortion

The 2007 annual report of the Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity (Victoria) showed that 52 out of 181 late term babies who were aborted for “abnormalities” survived late term abortions but died neo-natally. Would your Party support a conscience vote on Medicare funding for abortions carried out on babies old enough to be viable outside the womb?

• One third of Australian conceptions are aborted.
• This affects all families in our country.
• All women have the right to access the best medical care if they choose abortion.

11. Abortion Data

There are approximately 80,000 abortions performed in Australia each year, but obtaining accurate figures is fraught by bureaucratic impediments. What will your Party do to obtain more accurate and complete abortion data in line with the cross-party recommendation of the 2008 Senate inquiry into the Health Insurance Regulations?

• Our party would support the collection of accurate data on abortion.

12. Chaplaincy

The 2009 research paper, “The Effectiveness of Chaplaincy”, showed that the Federal Government’s National School Chaplaincy Program was supported by more than 97% of the 688 participating school principals, who said that chaplains had been highly effective in providing pastoral care services for students and school communities. Does your Party commit to funding faith-based chaplaincy in schools beyond 2011, and at what level?

• Our party supports chaplaincy as a youth support system.
• Our party does not support chaplaincy for religious instruction.

13. Youth unemployment

The national youth unemployment rate is 17% but in some locations it is over 40%. What policies will your Party implement to support and encourage young Australians to engage in active employment?

• We would focus education broadly instead of a professions focus. 
• Attempt to find the beauty in every student so that they will seek career paths that fulfil their dreams rather than narrow-based outcomes
• Place more focus on opportunities such as small business.

14. National curriculum

The national curriculum stresses teaching all subjects from indigenous, Asian and environmental perspectives, but the proposed history curriculum fails to acknowledge the significance of Australia’s Judeo-Christian heritage. What actions will your Party take to ensure a more balanced approach to the national curriculum, one that properly recognises Christianity’s historical and on-going contribution to Australia’s social, political and legal structures? What place, if any, should the Bible have in the national English curriculum, given its status as the most printed and translated literary work, and its obvious effect on the development of Western culture, literature and art?

• The party would favour a non-sectarian approach to learning about all religions, without exclusive reference to Christianity. 

15. School funding

Given that many of the students attending low fee independent and Christian schools come from families of a similar socio-economic background as those of public schools, will your Party guarantee that any review of funding for the non-government school sector will result in no reduction in the level of funding in both real and relative terms for these schools?

• Our party would support continued funding of non-government schools, provided that they:

1. Follow a national curriculum
2. Do not force students to follow particular religious dogma

16. Marriage

Marriage is clearly defined in the Marriage Act as the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life. Would your Party commit to support this definition for the life of the Government and beyond?

• The Australian Fishing and Lifestyle Party would accept a broader interpretation of marriage other than that within the current Marriage Act, which reflects the reality of our society

17. Parenting

Now that a paid parental leave scheme has been legislated and will begin operation on 1 January 2011, what policies will your Party implement to redress the inequality in Government support experienced by women who work exclusively in the home?

• Our party would support the important concept of home parenting, and would implement policies which support the family unit. 

18. Surrogacy and ART

The Standing Committee of Attorneys-General (SCAG) intends to achieve uniform national surrogacy law. Some States allow surrogacy for single people and same-gender couples to obtain a child, who then has no possibility of having both a mother and a father. In constructing nationally consistent surrogacy laws, will your Party oppose any provision for single and same-gender surrogacy?

• The party would consider the adequacy of the parent, be they single or same gender, more important than the possibility of having both the mother and father, as the realities in our society are that this ideal situation does not occur very frequently with the level of divorce.

19. Classification

There are a number of Codes of Practice across a range of media platforms, with some types of media self-regulated, others falling under the scope of the ACMA or the Classification Board. This multiplicity of media regulation is ill-equipped to keep pace with rapid technological changes, lacks effective enforcement mechanisms, and leaves children vulnerable to harm from inappropriate media products. Will your Party commit to a comprehensive review of Australia’s media regulatory environment, with a view to establish an effective classification system across all media, including advertising and games?

• Our party would support comprehensive review of Australia’s media regulatory environment, with a view to the establishment of an effective classification system across all media, including advertising and games. 

20. Internet safety

Recent Government trials have shown that blocking Refused Classification (RC) material at the ISP level is technically feasible. Will your Party commit to the filtering of RC material at the ISP level to provide a safer internet environment for children? Some ISPs already provide commercial filtering products for parents to protect children from legal but otherwise harmful internet content. What would your Party do to encourage wider availability of such services?

• This party would support the broader use of ISP filtering to protect children from violence and pornography

21. Climate Change

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has predicted devastating effects of climate change on the global environment and population. At the same time a body of contrary scientific evidence is beginning to emerge in the debate. What is your Party’s position on climate change, and what are the policies it plans to implement on that basis, including for the world’s poorest?

• This party does not believe there is any conclusive evidence to support the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s predictions
• Real climate change which will occur and has always occurred is outside our control, but we should consider strategies to minimise the real effects of these climate changes which will inevitably occur.

22. Sharia law

In 2009 the Islamic Council of Victoria rebuffed an attempt by one of its board members to propose the establishment of a Sharia court to handle disputes in the Muslim community over divorce, child access, wills and the like. Would your party commit to opposing the adoption of a parallel Sharia Law legal system within Australia?

• Our party would commit to opposing the adoption of a parallel Sharia Law legal system in Australia

23. Human Rights Act

The National Human Rights Consultation recommended the enactment of a federal Human Rights Act. However many Christian churches and groups opposed a HRA because of little evidence of overseas versions improving human rights and their being used by activists to undermine freedom of religion. Given the time and expense of assessing Parliament’s present position on the HRA, will your Party rule out introducing a Human Rights Act or equivalent instrument in the next and subsequent parliament?

• The party would support the enactment of a federal Human Rights Act
• The party would investigate the outcomes in overseas countries to ensure that an Australian Human Rights Act would be an appropriate document for our country

24. Indigenous welfare

Social justice for indigenous people remains a major issue for Christian churches. What initiatives and policies would your Party introduce to ensure not only better health, housing, education and employment opportunities for indigenous Australians, but also to facilitate long-term social inclusion and a sense of hope and purpose for the first Australians? What would your Party do during the next term of Parliament to specifically address these goals?

• Our party would support Noel Pearson’s initiatives to provide real employment opportunities and self-determination for indigenous people. 
• AFLP opposes blanket World Heritage listing of Cape York and Wild Rivers as they disenfranchise all Australians on the Cape, particularly the indigenous peoples.