The leader of the Victorian Nationals says he is aware that members of a Victorian church group within his party are in favour of gay conversion therapy.
Key points:
- Victorian Nationals leader Peter Walsh says there are concerns about a church group’s membership in the party’s ranks
- The City Builders Church says its members are worried about laws they say strike at the heart of their beliefs
- A motion will go before Saturday’s Nationals state conference calling for the party to condemn a law that bans gay conversion therapy
The Nationals will be holding a state conference tomorrow in Wonthaggi, where a motion will put be put forward to condemn laws that ban gay conversion therapy.
In a statement to the ABC, the City Builders Church said it had a handful of politically engaged individuals among its ranks who had joined various parties over the past decade.
Echuca-based MP and Victorian Nationals leader Peter Walsh told ABC Central Victoria he would speak against the motion.
“I have had issues and concerns raised by some of our people in Gippsland,” he said.
“We absolutely condemn – absolutely condemn – any form of gay conversion and we supported that legislation going through the parliament.
The Victorian Government denounced the practice as deceptive and harmful when the bill was introduced.
The law empowers the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission to respond to reports of gay conversion therapy.
It can also launch investigations where there is evidence of serious or systemic change or suppression practices.
Someone who causes injury to another through change or suppression practices can face up to 10 years in jail.
Unsplash: Ben Smith
)‘Great faith’ in ‘right decisions’
The City Builders Church said 12 of its 120 members had joined the National Party.
The motion to be put forward at the state conference condemns the Victorian Government for passing the Change and Suppression (Conversion) Practice Prohibition Bill.
It demands its rejection or repeal and calls on the Federal Government to investigate whether it is allowed under the Constitution.
The church said in recent times many of its members had expressed concern about the impact various legislative changes were having on them, their ability to parent and their freedom to live out their beliefs.
“There is a groundswell of Christians and conservative people across our state becoming politically involved because they do not feel adequately represented by any political party,” it said in a statement.
It also said it was surprised National Party leaders would go against democracy and target people over their religious beliefs, or because they were members of a church.
But Mr Walsh told ABC Central Victoria’s breakfast program that putting the vote to the membership was the democratic thing to do.
“I have great faith that the members of the National Party will make the right decisions when those sorts of issues are put in front of them,” he said.
