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Gay rights - a Liberal issue

By Richard Kings - posted Tuesday, 13 December 2005


Most Australian political and party officials do not really understand the meaning of Conservatism. Many talk of neo-conservatism - revisiting the old ideological positioning of liberal, democrat, or socialist pragmatics versus a traditional historical or foundational raison d’être of true conservatism.

For many reasons neo-conservatives, lacking the classical Tory interpretation of conservatism, make up positions as they go along. Thus we have carte blanche interpretations on all aspects of life, and on how we should conduct ourselves morally, religiously or ethically.

The question of the gay community: exactly what and who they are and where they stand in society was never really visited until the Federal Marriage Act Amendment. For the first time the gay community was forced to take a hard look at itself and reflect both on its lobbying strategies and its perceived notions of which political party best represented them. They were abandoned by the so-called rainbow Labor movement, which saw gays as electorally on the nose and jumped into bed with the Liberals. Who says “politics makes strange bedfellows”? Both Labor and Liberal strategies were concerned with the votes of the Australian Christian Lobby and Family Values Church, which casts God as the central character and Catholic doctrine as divine inspiration for decrying all things homosexual.

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Questions further arose. Why was this happening? Where was the gay lobby? What was the Lyons Forum? How did Senator Steve Fielding become the smallest minority with the biggest say in all things gay and lesbian? Was there a shift to a fascist agenda? How could it be that sudden religious fervour creates such problems for a significant voting sector such as the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community? Was this the problem: is LGBTI too much of a mouthful in Canberra? How many variations on a theme does the LGBTI community want?

Christianity won out, even though 90 per cent of Australia's estimated one million gays, friends, supporters and variations on family groups identify as Christian, even Gay and Catholic. What went wrong? Who’s to blame? Should the great swag of Liberal voters have stood up for their Christian beliefs of tolerance, understanding and acceptance of a group which was being unfairly singled out and discriminated against by a government? Isn’t this the philosophy of the Liberal Party, a self-styled broad church? Or has a sinister turn of events occurred in which a powerful group of federal parliamentarians wages war over those who disagree with their Bible-quoting Hillsong proclamations?

Where has the more liberal element gone? The type who say we can have liberal doses of anything. Christians, economic rationalists, Catholics, Jews, Gays, families, Social Security recipients, free marketeers, economists, doctors, even academics and businessman. All were welcome in the Liberal Party, so it seemed until 2004.

What do young people make of Alex Hawke? The 27-year-old president of the Federal Young Liberal Movement denounces gays and Greens with equal scorn, while stacking NSW Liberal branches with Moslems and Opus Dei recruits, simply because they hate homosexuals.

So why should Liberal voters support gay issues?

We must first understand the complexities of a government which has been in power for almost ten years, and on current voting intentions and results could be in power at least a decade longer.

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The government ran an election campaign largely on the issues of security and economic stability: two of the great pillars of traditional conservative Toryism. Voters responded, endorsing the government with increased majorities and senate control.

To say a party has been hijacked by fundamentalist religious fanatics is accurate if we look at the Lyons Forum, the “Catholic Breakfast Club”. It sounds more like a new movie than a powerful influence on a popularly elected government. Did the voters want this? Would they have supported such a group knowing their true colours? Most such groups thrive away from the scrutiny of electors, where they can plan plot and scheme without question. With access to senior public servants, ministerial staffers and advisers, the shadowy deals take place. Spin doctors and media advisers manipulate opinion, sending out signals and rewards. A potential escape from preselection challenge ensures absolute control over debate and policy formulation. This is exclusionary - accessible only to those deemed able to aid the process. There is also an air of “do not criticise the government”.

The basis of the formation of the Liberal Party 60 years ago, and the foundational principles of its ideology gives the answer. But the Liberals self-styled “broad church” tag, and its relevance and meaning are in question.

A glance at the traditional party beliefs, reveals the soul of the party. The original statement of principles has 17 points. I paraphrase those directly affecting the LGBTI community:

  • 3. We believe in individual initiative, individuality and acceptance of responsibility.
  • 6. We believe Rights connote Duties. Sectional and selfish policies are destructive of good citizenship.
  • 7. We believe the supreme function of government is to assist in the development of personality; that today’s dogma may turn out to be tomorrow’s error. In consequence, the interests of all legitimate minorities must be protected.
  • 8. We believe social liberty based upon and limited by a conception of social justice.
  • 10. We believe liberalism means flexibility and progress. Its principles and spiritual and intellectual approach enable it to deal with changing social circumstances. By elevating the individual it meets and defeats the all-powerful State.
  • 12. We believe national financial and economic power and policy should not be designed to control men’s lives, but to create a climate in which men may work out their own salvation in their own way.
  • 13. We believe in freedom to worship, think, speak, choose; to be ambitious, acquire skill, seek and earn reward.
  • 14. We believe in social justice: in encouraging the strong and protecting the weak.
  • 15. We believe in religious and racial tolerance.
  • 17. We believe that under divine providence, with goodwill, mutual tolerance and understanding, energy and individual purpose, there is neither task which Australia cannot perform nor difficulty overcome.

This is the traditional version of the original foundational principles of the Liberal Party. True conservativism is a way of life based on structure, foundation and hard won and defended precepts. Nothing wrong here. However, if we look at these words, and making allowances for an era when non gender-specifics terms were uncommon, we see into the soul of an institution which should stand firm forever, much like the precepts that created it.

In these very words lie the principles which should determine the plans for any government. The document reflects the necessity of both tolerance and understanding, while opposing those who seek to impose their dogma on all. That all minorities, be they Aborigines, gays, Jews, or any other, and their legitimate interests, must be protected, as must their legitimate interests, against sectional and selfish policies imposed by others. Consider the Lyons Forum denouncing gays, or its condemnation of those seeking abortion, divorce or euthanasia. Principle 12 asserts we should be able to work out our own salvation, without one doctrine imposing its view. Christian, Moslem and Jew should realise they have one thing in common: before their creator, they are all equal, with flaws, desires and different individual problems that can be solved only by the individual and his creator. Irrespective of religion or church, that creator is not concerned with the dogma of mortals or church practices and preachings.

These precepts underpin a large body of history and tradition under the banner of (mainly) British Conservatism. High Tories use existing orders, structures and foundations to improve and build for the future.

Our system of government is based upon the timeless certainties of wisdom, compassion, mercy and strength, and the eternal verities of hope, faith and charity. When people live in charity with one another, mutual respect, tolerance, love and mercy are standard. This is the spirit of the Australian Liberal, immortalised in the culture of a country which advocates a fair go. Where people's opinions are respected, and the right to express them protected and defended. Where any citizen can rise to the greatest office of the land. These precepts were espoused by traditional Liberals. They should be encouraged to prevail once more, and to be a lesson in ethics and values for the churches and other groups.

Every member of society has equal rights before the law. Many of these, termed inalienable rights, are enshrined in our constitution. Although some rights are not specifically stated or codified, this doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Rights can be described as common decencies afforded all men and women, regardless of faith, ethnicity, race or sexual preference.

As individuals, we have rights, and understand others have them. We do not make up rights on a whim, or we would run the risk of having rights which contradict others. Thinking oneself different does not confer additional rights. Rights are inherited and also inalienable. They are part of us like genes, and cannot be taken away or lost. The question on gay rights, is whether any group has any more rights than another, or want more than is given innately.

Merely codifying a convenient document will not hold up under legal examination. The law which protects our rights is a living thing. The gay community should look at the law and constitution for assistance because it embodies all that is good and worthy. Rights, like truths, have always been there, and are not easily denied in a free and democratic society.

The reasons Liberal voters should support gay issues are found in the overall founding principles of tolerance, compassion and social justice. Social justice is a term more associated with the left than the traditional Liberal right wing. This leads to questions about the perception of political ownership of the gay community.

Labor would have us believe we have a common struggle, assuming us underprivileged, down-trodden and more at home with ALP views of social justice than a purely legal one.

When the AIDS crisis descended, Labor was in power in most states, and federally. The governments (as opposed to party machines) had to respond to a health crisis. To their credit, governments formed partnerships of sorts with the gay community to deal with the problem. This did not imply ownership of the gay community. ALP ideologues and activists sought to capitalise on it, until 2004, when the ALP voted with the Liberals on gay marriage.

The LGBTI community stands alone now, and must refocus on influencing those who would be compassionate or tolerant. The LGBTI community must reassess its priorities on its level of representation in political forums, the churches and policy centres.

The LGBTI community must reach out to the more liberal elements of our society, working for a future based on traditional Liberal beliefs espoused by the party and now generally accepted by the population. Relationships, dialogue and membership of these groups will forge a new tolerant understanding. LGBTI groups should seek equal representation among their ranks and participate in their affairs, thus showing sexuality is irrelevant to full and active citizenship in our nation.

By gaining respect through active representation as equals among community ranks, LGTBI people can influence and participate fully in policy formulation and implementation. Whether one favours the gay marriage is irrelevant. The fact is the amendment was discriminatory, and intended to exclude. Its repeal can only be achieved by having the numbers where they count - in Federal Parliament.

Convincing Liberal voters to support gay issues is a legitimate aim. The first priority must be to assist Liberal voters to consider what it means to be liberal in a modern world and to influence policy within the party. Recall a core Liberal belief: “today’s dogma as being tomorrow’s error, ... in consequence, the interests of all legitimate minorities must be protected.”

This is the key to the hearts and minds of Liberals who prize virtue, wisdom and tolerance over privilege, position or wealth, who are open-minded and not influenced by the sectional or selfish interests of churches, religion or fanatical fundamentalism, to stand up for their convictions. They must show that, under a true conservative banner, every human being has intrinsic worth, and must be loved and protected as one of God's creations. God created all humans, hetero, homo, metro, bi and every other.

The real test of merit is to fully apply the virtues of compassion and preservation of all people's rights to dignity, life, freedom and liberty and the underlying spirit of conservatism: to preserve, conserve or protect.

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Article edited by Virginia Tressider.
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About the Author

Richard Kings is Chairman of the British Conservative Party’s ‘Conservatives Abroad’ - Australia Branch and also a member of the State Council of the Victorian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia.

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

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