Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett’s offer of a ministry to the Greens is a blatant breach of integrity and a breach of faith with the electorate, the Australian Christian Lobby said today.

“If voters can’t depend on commitments given as unequivocally as David Bartlett’s during an election, how on earth can they trust the government this failure of integrity produces,” ACL’s Tasmanian Director Nick Overton said.

“This is not a party partisan issue, it would be an issue of integrity, whoever had been responsible for it,” Mr Overton said.

Such clear statements as McKim “will never be in a Labor ministry”, and labelling McKim “a wolf in sheep’s clothing”, gave many voters the confidence to vote Labor when clearly many wouldn’t have if it meant accommodating an increase in Greens’ influence in public policy.

“The prospect of the Greens being handed the Education portfolio will be of grave concern to the majority of Christians, who would be worried about the Greens’ extreme social values being foisted on children during their formative years,” Mr Overton said.

While Greens candidates, including Mr McKim had attended ACL candidates’ forums, the Greens had failed to answer specific questions about their policy agenda in writing.

Mr Bartlett had termed a partnership with McKim a “deal with the devil”.

“Hopefully he will not allow the “devil” to further erode the commitments given directly to the Christian constituency at ACL’s leaders’ Make It Count event in Hobart on February 15.”, Mr Overton said. 

Media Contact: Nick Overton 0408 850 629.

Australian Christian Lobby
Canberra, Australia

Tel: (02) 6259 0431

Fax: (02) 6259 0462

Mob: 0448 602 878

www.acl.org.au