Queensland Cabinet to be Sworn in

26/03 News.com.au | MEMBERS of the new Queensland Cabinet will be officially sworn in by Governor Penny Wensley today.

Bligh takes off, LNP starts from ground up

23/03 The Australian | Labor's resounding victory in the Queensland election will allow Anna Bligh to reshape her government and the Opposition to elect a city Liberal as leader for the first time.

Leading Labor to a historic fifth term in power and becoming Australia's first elected female premier in the process, Ms Bligh yesterday acknowledged there had still been a protest vote against her Government.

Demonstrating her intention to respond to voter concerns over two key issues, Ms Bligh inspected the oil clean-up on Moreton Island yesterday morning and named Deputy Premier Paul Lucas as the Government's new Health Minister in the afternoon.

The Premier is understood to have asked the factions to nominate ministers for relegation to the back bench before she embarks on a major cabinet reshuffle, expected to include a reorganisation of the bureaucracy with refocused portfolios.

Archbishop backs move to restrict brothels

23/03 The west.com.au | Banning brothels in residential areas would be a welcome first step to curbing prostitution, though laws need to go further by making it illegal to pay for sex, Perth’s Catholic Archbishop Barry Hickey says.
  
A vocal opponent of the former Carpenter government’s now redundant plan to decriminalise the sex industry, Archbishop Hickey hopes the Barnett Government’s overhaul of prostitution legislation will provide a substantial deterrent to male customers.
  
He supports the so-called Swedish model, which makes buying sex and brothel ownership illegal, rather than prostitution itself. Attorney-General Christian Porter is working towards delivering the Government’s election promise to ban prostitution outside designated zones but has rejected calls from some Liberal backbenchers to adopt the Swedish model on the basis that he did not support a system which punished only the men who bought sex.

Christian Lobby welcomes LNP pledge to restore local democracy for brothel applications

20/03 Australian Christian Lobby | The Australian Christian Lobby today welcomed comments from LNP Shadow Attorney General Mike Horan that local communities will be given the right to reject brothel applications should the LNP win Government tomorrow.

In media comments yesterday Mr Horan said he would make the law changes retrospective so the city of Toowoomba would be able to reject a brothel application that is before its Council.

Three Years To Break Link Between Ads And Sport

18/03 Media Release | Family First Leader Senator Steve Fielding has offered the Rudd government until 2012 to shut down the loophole allowing alcohol ads to be shown during sporting events in family viewing time. “I’m offering the Rudd Government a lifeline, a way to break this stalemate in the Senate on the alcopops tax,” Senator Fielding said.“Family First has already won concessions from the government on warning labels and an advertising campaign.

“Now the Rudd Government must have the courage to stand up to the alcohol giants and break this link between alcohol and sport.“It targets young and vulnerable Australians by making it seem cool to drink

QLD: Labor-Greens preference deal rings alarm bells for Christians

16/03 Australian Christian Lobby | The announcement in Labor’s election launch of new environmental initiatives clearly reflects their preference deal with the Greens and has heightened concerns for Christians about what other deals may have been done in the area of social policy to reflect the Green’s radical agenda in non-environmental areas.

“While increased concern for the environment is generally welcomed, ACL is particularly worried that a Bligh government would introduce surrogacy laws with all the worst features of recent Victorian legislation, which even permits two men to acquire babies through surrogacy,” said ACL Managing Director Jim Wallace.

Green Party Attitude To Porn Risks Future Generations Says Nile

13/03 Christian Democrat Party | The Rev Fred Nile, Leader of the Christian Democratic Party, has stated that attitudes toward pornography espoused by groups like the Green Party are putting future generations at risk of violence and sexual abuse. “Recent research by the Australian Institute of Criminology has confirmed what has long been expected, ‘pornography is changing the nature of sexual attitudes, behaviours and intimate relationships, and potentially contributing to sexual violence in society”, Rev Fred Nile said.

Christian lobby welcomes Labor and Family First responses to Qld questionnaire

12/03 Australian Christian Lobby | The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) today welcomed belated moves from Queensland Labor and Family First to provide answers to 12 questions on issues of concern to Christians.

ACL Managing Director Jim Wallace said that Labor and Family First’s answers have now been posted on the organisation’s special Queensland election website at www.qldvotes.org and will assist the Christian constituency in knowing where the parties stand on a number of important matters before deciding how to cast their vote on March 21.

Look before you vote on 21 March

12/03 Geoffrey Bullock, QLD State Officer |The Queensland election is just over a week away on 21 March, and we pray that some men and women with Christian values will be elected to the state parliament on that day.

To help you find out who they might be, FamilyVoice Australia has been extremely busy. We have sent ten election survey questions to all 397 candidates and are currently recording their responses - including official party responses. So far we have received official responses from three parties and some 50 individuals, and are entering the scores on our election website. Over this weekend we will enter the “official” answers for party candidates who have failed to make an individual response.

Rudd Gets Rolled On Abortion

10/03 Senator Steve Fielding, Family First | Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has caved in to his party by allowing the ban on foreign aid funding for abortion to be overturned.

“The Prime Minister has admitted telling his own caucus that he did not support the policy change but then rolled over on it,” Family first Leader Senator Steve Fielding said.

“It demonstrates that the Prime Minister’s words are as solid as quicksand because when it comes to the crunch on value issues, the Prime Minister wimps out.”

Caritas slams abortion aid decision

11/03 Catholic News |Caritas Australia CEO Jack de Groot has endorsed concerns expressed by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd over changes by Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, a Catholic, to the Australian aid program that will allow funding of abortions.

"As an agency of the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference, our position on family planning is very clear: to promote the sanctity of life and uphold the dignity of every human person," Mr de Groot said in a statement. "We are gravely concerned about the implications of this policy for our ongoing work in aid and development around the world. .. Family First Senator Steve Fielding accused Prime Minister Rudd of wimping out after telling his caucus he did not support a change in policy.

"It demonstrates that the prime minister's words are as solid as quicksand because when it comes to the crunch on value issues, the prime minister wimps out," Senator Fielding said in a statement.

BETRAYAL ON FOREIGN AID ABORTION POLICY

10/03 Senator Ron Boswell | “The decision today made by Kevin Rudd’s Labor Government to allow Australia foreign aid programs to fund abortion through Non Government Organisations, will be seen as a betrayal by the Churches and their communities,” said Senator Ron Boswell today.

“This is the first time Australia has used foreign aid funding to supply abortions through AusAid.” “The Prime Minister influenced and campaigned hard to harness the Christian vote to Labor in the last election.  At the last election he assured the Christian vote that their vote was safe with him and his party.”

Christians dismayed by Labor’s abortion aid dollars

10/03 Australian Christian Lobby | Christians are dismayed that the Rudd Government believes abortion should take priority over proper birthing facilities for women in poor countries, the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) said today.

ACL Managing Director Jim Wallace said the Government had caved in to pro-abortion advocates intent on imposing their agenda and ideology at any cost and, in doing so, had ignored the views of a great many Christians who have tirelessly given money to overseas aid and been among the strongest supporters of the Millennium Development Goals.

Government Must Use Foreign Aid To Preserve Life

06/03 Senator Steve Fielding, Family First | The decision by a women’s international health organisation to push for Australia’s scarce foreign aid money to be spent on abortion rather than tackling maternal deaths is disappointing, Family First Leader Senator Steve Fielding said today.

“Sunday, March 8, is International Women’s Day and rather than use this day to call for abortion aid, the Marie Stopes organisation should be advocating for funds to help the more than 500,000 women who die in pregnancy and childbirth in the third world every year,” Senator Fielding said.

“That’s one woman dying in childbirth every minute of every day in impoverished countries. Why aren’t more people advocating for these women?’’

QLD: FINAL EDITION Christian Values Checklist NOW online:

07/03 Australian Christian Values Institute | We are excited to bring you what we believe is the final edition of the Queensland Christian Values Checklist for the March 21 State Election. Accuracy is everything and we have to be open to change. After consulting our team we have revised and updated the checklist particularly on question 14 and 25 as new information has come to light which we believe has shown changes for the better in the column for Family First and the LNP of the Christian Values Checklist.

FINAL EDITION CHECKLIST (COLOUR VERSION) - QLD ELECTIONS 2009 [PDF 356kb]

FINAL EDITION CHECKLIST (B & W VERSION) - QLD ELECTIONS 2009 [PDF 178kb]

QUEENSLAND CHECKLIST COMMENTS - SESCOND EDITION [PDF 47kb]

How did your MP vote on conscience issues?

Compare QLD Party Responses

Meet Your Candidate Forums

QLD: Anger over ALP silence on issues of faith

10/03 The Australian | LABOR has come under fire from the Australian Christian Lobby for failing to respond to a questionnaire it sent to both major political parties. The ACL has launched a website listing party responses to issues it feels are important in the March 21 Queensland election, but says it is disappointed Labor has chosen not to respond to its questionnaire. So far, only the Liberal National Party has responded, ACL managing director Jim Wallace said yesterday. Family First, the Greens and One Nation have also been tardy in giving answers.

"Labor's failure to respond not only makes little political sense in an extremely close election, but it prevents the Christian constituency from knowing where Labor stands on key issues of concern -- a right that should not be denied any constituency," Mr Wallace said. "ACL is determinedly non-party partisan, but it is not a fence-sitter."

... Mr Wallace said Queensland electors had the right to know if a Bligh Government would follow Labor administrations in other states in legislating on children's rights, homosexuality, same-sex adoption and surrogacy, and the rights of the unborn. "Former premier Peter Beattie's brothel laws, which force large councils to approve brothel applications, were an affront to local democracy and something Christians were looking to both parties to address," Mr Wallace said.

NATIONAL: Australia drops aid ban on abortion advice

10/03 Yahoo News | Australia's government on Tuesday scrapped a ban preventing overseas aid being used for abortion advice, following a recent U.S. decision to overturn similar prohibitions. The ban was put in place in 1996 by Australia's previous conservative government and prevented overseas aid funding being used for anything involving termination of a pregnancy.

... Australian and international aid agencies would be able to choose what services they deliver in line with their own philosophies, but Smith said he hoped the estimated 42 million terminations performed globally each year could be reduced. Australia would spend an additional $9.5 million over the next four years on family planning and reproductive health activities

NATIONAL: Ban on foreign aid being spent on abortion services lifted

10/03 The Australian | Foreign aid will be able to be spent on abortion services and counselling after the Rudd Government today lifted a ban established 13 years ago by the Howard government. Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has effectively followed the lead of US President Barack Obama, who has scrapped the policy preventing non-government organisations using official funds overseas to advise about abortions or provide services.

The current guidelines, which have been in place since 1996, prohibit any overseas development funding from being used for activities that involve the termination of a pregnancy.

QLD: Meet Your Candidate Forums

ACL Managing Director Jim Wallace said the LNP had responded to its questionnaire with answers now posted on the site. “Labor’s failure to respond not only makes little political sense in an extremely close election but it prevents the Christian constituency from knowing where Labor stands on key issues of concern – a right that should not be denied any constituency,” Mr Wallace said.

QLD: Bligh's woes put LNP in the lead

10/03 The Australian | Queenslanders rate Premier Anna Bligh's performance in the first two weeks of the campaign her worst ever and are starting to view LNP leader Lawrence Springborg as a serious contender. The latest Newspoll, taken for The Australian, puts the Liberal National Party ahead 51-49 on a two-party-preferred basis -- not enough to secure government but enough to raise the prospect of a hung parliament and worry the Labor campaign.

QLD: Labor heading for slo-mo pile-up.

0903 What the People Want | Voters are bored and disillusioned with Labor – that’s the basic reason that the Liberal National Party looks likely to achieve at least a minority government after this year’s Queensland state election.

It’s an “It’s time” election, but one where there is little sense that changing governments will really create much change. There is a pervading mood that no-one could do worse than the incumbents, so someone else might as well be given a go. There’s little perceived risk in a change, because voters see so little of value in what they have now.

QLD: ACL launches election website, Labor ignores Christians despite close race

ACL Managing Director Jim Wallace said the LNP had responded to its questionnaire with answers now posted on the site. “Labor’s failure to respond not only makes little political sense in an extremely close election but it prevents the Christian constituency from knowing where Labor stands on key issues of concern – a right that should not be denied any constituency,” Mr Wallace said.

VICTORIA: Blood ties stronger on fire panel

Miranda Devine, SMH.com.au | Whenever there is a disaster in Australia - from the Newcastle earthquake and the Thredbo landslide to the recent Victorian bushfires, the Salvation Army is always there, feeding police and emergency workers, and quietly, lovingly caring for survivors. For their no-frills work ethic and no-strings-attached integrity, the Christian charitable organisation has earned the public's respect.

And yet, as the Rudd Government splurges taxpayer money on the welfare sector, the Salvos are finding themselves ignored and frozen out of decision-making. In the case of the Victorian fires, the more secular Red Cross, headed by the former Labor federal minister Robert Tickner, and staffed by various former Labor-affiliated or union people, has become the Government's charity of choice. ... The Salvation Army, despite having raised more than $16 million for victims, of which it has already distributed one-third, has now been excluded from the panel which is managing the bushfire donations.

Abortion law under challenge

08/03 Jill Stark for The AGE | THE federal Attorney-General is under increasing pressure from within his own party to use his powers to overturn Victoria's new abortion laws, which leading lawyers and Catholic hospitals say are in breach of international law.

Vic abortion conscience provisions under challenge

09/03 Catholic News | Catholic Health CEO Martin Laverty has called on Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland to use international human rights obligations to overturn Victorian legislation requiring conscientiously objecting doctors to provide abortion referrals.

The Sunday Age reports that Queen's Counsel Neil Young, a former Federal Court judge, and barrister Peter Willis, a former adviser to the attorney-general's office, who examined the Victorian legislation on behalf of Catholic Health Australia, say that Australia will fail to meet its international obligations unless the offending clause is removed.

Catholic Health chief executive Martin Laverty told The Sunday Age the group had been advised the contentious clause breached the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, a treaty ratified by Australia and overseen by the United Nations.

He said staff at the state's 15 Catholic hospitals would not be expected to take any part in the abortion process, including referring women to other doctors, and Catholic Health was ready to challenge the law in court if anyone were to be prosecuted for refusing to provide a referral.

Tasmanian Labor Senator Helen Polley has also written to Mr McClelland on the matter. "If you have very strong religious convictions on abortion you should not have to be participating in any form in the process, including referring women," Senator Polley told The Sunday Age.

... Clause 8 of the Abortion Law Reform Act, passed by the Victorian Parliament in October, forces health workers with a conscientious objection to abortion to disclose their beliefs before referring women to a doctor who is not opposed to termination. However, the international covenant, signed by Australia, states that: "No one can be compelled to reveal his thoughts or adherence to a religion or belief." Under the Australian constitution, the Commonwealth has the power to invalidate state law if it breaches international treaties to which Australia is a party.

Labor’s New Overseas Aid policy – DEAD babies and more condoms

Excerpted from Saltshakers Newsletter | ...Following the passing of Victoria's 'Abortion Law Reform Bill last year, we expected some moves in Queensland and New South Wales to propose similar legislation that would legalise abortion.

We mentioned abortion in connection with the forthcoming Queensland election in our 'election email' last Friday - if you live in Queensland and/or missed that email, click here for our Queensland election webpage.

It hasn't taken long to see similar moves in New South Wales.

Yesterday, NSW Greens MP Lee Rhiannon used International Women's Day (yesterday) to call on the NSW government to decriminalise (or legalise) abortion in NSW.

NSW: Move to decriminalise abortion

08/03 SMH.com.au | THE State Government will come under renewed pressure to legalise abortions, with the Greens demanding the procedure be struck from the Crimes Act and treated as a health issue.

MP Lee Rhiannon will use today's International Women's Day to launch a campaign calling for NSW to follow the lead of Victoria and the ACT by including abortion in health legislation, not the criminal law.

The NSW Crimes Act provides up to 10 years' jail for abortion but a common law ruling in 1971 allows the procedure if a doctor believes the pregnancy would result in serious danger to the woman's physical or mental health.

"Mental health" is now taken to include economic and social stress.

NATIONAL: Birthing clinics, not abortion clinics needed for poor

07/03 Australian Christian Lobby | The Australian Christian Lobby today urged the Rudd Government to take an evidenced based-approach to claims abortion clinics will save women’s lives in countries which don’t even have proper birthing facilities.

“Why we would consider diverting our overseas aid to providing abortion clinics where proper birthing clinics don’t exist defies logic,” ACL Managing Director Jim Wallace said. Mr Wallace said Australia had never used its overseas aid to fund abortions and recent Senate Estimates questioning had revealed no country had ever asked us to divert our aid money to abortion.

QLD: Some Key Questions to ask your Member of Parliament:

1. Will a Brothel be imposed on my town in the same way it is in Toowoomba and was in Mackay - will the State Government restore the right to make such decisions to local councils (scroll down for related archived articles)

2. Will you push through Decriminalisation of Abortion legislation and allow end term babies, as Victoria has done, to be killed? (scroll down for related articles)

QLD: On the issue of abortion,

Saltshakers | ... we need to remember that Anna Bligh is a member of Emily’s List (which requires Labor women to support abortion in order to get assistance to get elected). 12 other current sitting female Labor MPs are also members of Emily's List. Source -

These factors need to be taken into account when assessing a political party's position on this important issue.

QLD: Abortion on Labor agenda

From the Archives - 2007 : | ...QUEENSLAND could decriminalise abortion in Premier Anna Bligh's first term in Government.

Aspley MP Bonny Barry is preparing to introduce a Private Member's Bill to remove abortion from the criminal code within the next 18 months, after being encouraged by Ms Bligh in mid-2000 to put the plan on ice.

Ms Bligh told The Courier-Mail she would support a Bill to decriminalise abortion.

"I have been on the public record a number of times on this issue and I believe that those decisions are best made by a woman, her partner and her doctor and they are ultimately private decisions," she said.

"If . . . there was a Bill in the Parliament to decriminalise it, I would support such a Bill, but I have no intention of introducing such a Bill." ..... More info on our Quote Pages ... please send through any new quotes you might know of ...

Electorates and Meet Your Candidate Forums

The Australia Votes website helps you find out what the parties think on particular issues but what about the candidates in your electorate? What are they like? What are their values and priorities?

The Australian Christian Lobby will be running Meet Your Candidate Forums, in marginal seats, to give you the opportunity to meet and question the people who are seeking your vote. If there is a forum in your electorate, we strongly encourage you to attend so you can decide which candidate you prefer. A DVD on their webisite will tell you more:

QLD: LNP will change brothel laws

LNP Media Release | The controversial brothel planned for Toowoomba could be stopped by changing State prostitution laws to give local councils the power to decide on brothel planning applications, Member for Toowoomba South Mike Horan said today.

Mr Horan said Toowoomba Regional Council had its hand tied because the Bligh Labor Government had banned towns with populations over 25,000 from rejecting brothel applications. "Under Labor’s laws, a bureaucrat in Brisbane approves the application regardless of the concerns or objections of local residents or their local council …and that’s the situation Toowoomba currently faces,” Mr Horan said.

"In Toowoomba, there’s a lot of community anger and frustration over the brothel proposal for a whole host of moral, family and neighbourhood reasons. "This brothel is in close proximity to a junior soccer field, family crisis homes, schools and churches," Mr Horan said. "Toowoomba should have the same right to reject such a proposal that a city of 24,000 has."

Mr Horan said if elected to government, the LNP would change the legislation to give all towns and cities the right to decide. "I urge the Bligh Government to do the same right now," he said.

Galaxy confirms our polling.

05/03 What the People Want | Tomorrow's Galaxy poll (with the teaser released today on the CM website) confirms our polling. It shows a six percent swing against the government. My polling suggests 7% or thereabouts. Pretty damn close, particularly as we don't really set-out to measure quants.

QLD: LNP leads Labor in Queensland election, Galaxy poll finds

05/03 Courier Mail | ANNA Bligh's tentative grip on power has been further loosened, with a new poll revealing Labor is leaking support to its Liberal National Party rivals.

Christians Values Checklist

To help the Christian community and those who are sympathetic to Christian values make a more informed choice when it comes to voting, the Australian Christian Values Institute, through its parent body Australian Heart Ministries, has produced Christian values checklists for many elections at both a federal and state level since 2001.

Our goal has been to do a careful bipartisan evaluation of the major parties positions on matters relating to Christian values and present it in a readable, impartial and accurate form to help Australian voters make an informed choice when voting. It might be noted that the political world is inhabited by spin doctors and clever PR gurus. Many times the true goals and voting patterns of the political parties are deliberately obfuscated to avoid polarising the electorate. Generally speaking, it is the goal of the major parties to reveal as little as possible of their specific policy so that votes are not lost before the party in question is elected.  That is why much political rhetoric is very general and avoids particular issues, including moral, ethical, social and sexual integrity matters that are of deep concern to bible-believing Christians.

Note 6/3/09 : The checklist is still being finalised - it will appear on their website as soon as it is ready

Surge to LNP on calling of election.

03/03 What the People Want | In the first week of the election there has been a strong swing in sentiment against the government, somewhere in the vicinity of 7.5%. If this were reflected in the election result Queensland would most likely have a new government and a hung parliament. Voters see this election as being about the government, not the opposition, and they appear to be punishing it for its governing of the state.Our surveys are of people who are most likely to lead debate. They are people who write on blogs, ring talkback radio, write letters to the editor and talk politics to friends, relatives and neighbours. While they may not be a randomised sample of the total population they provide a good lead as to where public opinion is heading.

QLD: Labor Attorney General Believes Brothel Imposition is not a VOTE changer

From the Archives - ABC News | The Labor Member for Toowoomba North says he does not think Queensland Government legislation governing brothels will be a vote changing issue this election.

But his LNP opponent disagrees. The Toowoomba Regional Council is currently considering an application for a brothel in Harlaxton. Such applications are governed by State Government legislation.... "The legislation has been enforced now and has been successfully implemented and I believe there should not be any changes to it," he said.

But LNP candidate Trevor Watts says councils should have more power to accept or reject brothel applications.He says the issue will influence voters."Do they want a Labor bureaucrat running their lives or do they want the democratically elected Government officials to have a say in things that affect their community?" he said.Mr Watts needs a swing of more than 7 per cent to win the Toowoomba North seat. The ALP candidate for Toowoomba South says voters in the electorate are looking for new representation.

QLD: Mothers rally to fight 'evil' brothel plan

From the Archives Feb 13 2009 - Finda | TOOWOOMBA mother Christine Jolley believes a legal brothel in Toowoomba will bring evil into the community. Yesterday, she gathered her newly formed group Toowoomba Mothers United to rally outside Attorney General and State Member for Toowoomba North Kerry Shine's office as a preview to a protest this afternoon.

..... Mrs Jolley believed a legal brothel would “decay” Toowoomba society's morals. “The brothel will bring evil into our community and evil into our homes. Our children won't be able to ride their bikes down the streets,” Mrs Jolley said. “We want Toowoomba to be the beautiful city we know.”

“We're asking every mother, grandmother, auntie and sister in Toowoomba to stand beside us and be united with us,” she said. “We want everyone to stand with us because we have to fight the State Government over this,” she said. Mother of one Danielle Gray said her church was only 450 metres from the proposed site. “It will draw people who will pay for sex from outside the Toowoomba community into Toowoomba,” she said.

Compare Party Responses

Party Policy is a significant factor influencing which laws will be passed during a Party's term in office. So to help inform you of each Party's policy position on important Christian issues, all parties contesting the upcoming election (Federal 2007) were invited to respond to a questionnaire on their policy position. We've collated the responses of all of those parties who completed the questionnaire,

Queensland Election - 21 March 2009

Saltshakers Media Release | On 23 February, Queensland Premier, Labor's Anna Bligh called an election, which will be held on 21 March 2009 - six months early.

We have prepared a webpage for the Queensland election.

•   It includes additional information about the Christian Values Checklist including the Checklist Comments document (8 pages) which gives details about policies.
• PLUS links to ALL the major political parties and their policy pages.
•  It also has links to the Electoral Commission website so you can find out the names of your candidates and electorate – it is vital that voters find out the INDIVIDUAL beliefs of candidates. Click here for our webpage.

QUEENSLAND: Brothels approved in secret through legal loophole

Lyle Shelton, ACL | CONCERNED Toowoomba residents are angry and bewildered hat their elected council is powerless to stop a brothel development from going ahead. It was left to the media to tell the community it was about to get Queensland's 24th legal brothel after council officers assessed the application in secret.

Usually the public finds out about any contentious development applications through the council's public notification whiteboards, newspaper advertisements or when the application is discussed in the council chamber. Not so with brothels. In the Smart State, pimps have privileges other developers would kill for.

NATION: Government outlines gender equality plan to UN Commission on the Status of Women

05/03 Courier Mail | THE Federal Government has outlined its pursuit of greater gender equality at a key United Nations meeting.

Minister for the Status of Women, Tanya Plibersek, delivered Australia's country statement to the UN commission on the status for women today. Ms Plibersek outlined Australia's pursuit of three priority areas for advancing gender equality - improving women's economic prosperity and financial independence; ensuring women's voices are heard at all levels of decision making and; reducing violence against women.

NATION: Greens want abortion aid ban overturned

PRAYER POINT: Queensland Elections: Saturday 21st March 2009

QLD: Toowoomba Fights Imposition of Brothel on their City

From the Archives Feb 27 09 - Christianity Today | Concerned Toowoomba residents are angry and bewildered that their elected council is powerless to stop a brothel development from going ahead. It was left to the media to tell the community it was about to get Queensland's 24th legal brothel after council officers assessed the application in secret. Usually the public finds out about any contentious development applications through the council's public notification whiteboards, newspaper advertisements or when the application is discussed in the council chamber.

Not so with brothels. In Queensland if a brothel application ticks the right town-planning boxes, and the council area has more than 25,000 residents, the application must be approved. No ifs, no buts and no community input. The community can't lodge objections and the application is shepherded through the system by town planners without even coming to a council meeting. It is not lawful for the council to consider the social cost of brothels or to protect young women from the sex trade's illusionary promises of easy money, glamour and empowerment. ..... The justified angst in Toowoomba should prompt the Bligh Government to at least consider reinstalling local democracy for brothel applications. A simple amendment to the Prostitution Act would achieve this and the lead-up to a state election is an ideal time for both major parties to pledge this

A KEY QUEENSLAND ELECTION ISSUE: The decriminalisation of Abortion

What does 'Decriminalisation of Abortion Mean'?
It is the removal of all reference to abortion from the Queensland Criminal Code, allowing abortion to be performed on any unborn child for "any" or "no" reason up until the child is born. In this situation there would be no legal safeguards in place to protect the lives of the unborn child or the pregnant mother.

What Would be the Impact for Queensland?
The real impact of the decriminalisation of abortion would be the removal of all legal protection for the nine months of life in the womb.

How would Queensland Rate in the World?
Decriminalisation of abortion would mean that Queensland would rank amongst the most permissive countries in the world.

What Would be Some of the Effects?
With no criminal law, abortion numbers would increase because people often equate the lack of criminal sanction with acceptable behaviour. The abortion industry would expand. Many more backyard and shopfront abortionists would appear. Abortion would become normal behaviour with no restraints.

Sex party to bed down members in Queensland

01/03 Courier mail | POLITICS in Queensland has been described in many ways - but rarely as sexy. But that's about to change if the Australian Sex Party succeeds in using Brisbane's Sexpo to sign up members to get a Queensland branch up and running.

Party convenor Fiona Patten said registering the party before the state election on March 21 was out of the question, but she was looking at running independent candidates in three high-profile seats.The seats are South Brisbane, held by Premier Anna Bligh, Southern Downs, held by Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg and Indooroopilly, held by the Greens' sole MP Ronan Lee.

QLD: Mothers fight brothel plans

Feb 09 - The Chronicle | TOOWOOMBA mother Christine Jolley today called on members of the community to join their fight against the proposed brothel in Toowoomba. Ms Jolley has started the group "Toowoomba Mothers United" and with other local mothers met outside State Attorney-General Kerry Shine’s office in Margaret Street.