After playing an active role in the most recent Federal, State and Territory elections, Christians are looking to have their concerns addressed in the Queensland election campaign, the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) said today.

ACL Managing Director Jim Wallace said that Christians gained reach as an important constituency in the 2007 Federal election, as well as in last year’s Northern Territory, West Australian and ACT elections, and would also impact the upcoming Queensland election.

“In a democratic society it is important that Christians take an active role in encouraging policies which are moral, compassionate and just. This is something the ACL will again be encouraging Christians to do in the Queensland election,” he said.

 Mr Wallace said that a demographic analysis of the 2007 Federal election results by former Senator John Black’s Australian Development Strategies group showed that the Christian vote significantly impacted the outcome, particularly in key swinging Queensland electorates.

“The influence of the Christian vote was again felt in the 2008 Northern Territory, West Australian and ACT election campaigns where Christians turned out in force to make their concerns known to party leaders and political candidates – no doubt contributing to the closeness of the result in those three elections,” Mr Wallace said.

“The recent elections have confirmed the importance of the Christian vote and the fact that it is not held captive by one particular party but can be won or lost by either side.

“Although there is no suggestion Christians vote in a block, they will be looking to weigh up their vote in the Queensland election and consider the respective parties’ strengths in terms of both moral and social justice issues.”

Mr Wallace said issues Christians are likely to be focusing on range from party positions on protecting unborn life and preventing same-sex surrogacy arrangements, to what they will do to better help the homeless and uphold parliamentary integrity.

“Another issue which has come to the fore recently involves local democracy, and the need for larger Queensland councils to have the autonomy to assess applications for brothels on social grounds, without having them forced upon local communities as is currently the case in Toowoomba.”

Australian Christian Lobby
Canberra, Australia

Tel: (02) 6259 0431

Fax: (02) 6259 0462

Mob: 0448 602 878

www.acl.org.au