An early Christmas present has just come our way, and it is worth publicising and celebrating. In the culture wars you win some and lose some. It seems like we are losing more often than winning. Thus it is fantastic when we have not just one but two big victories in one day.
And it happened in one of the worst political dystopias in Australia: Dan Andrews’ People’s Republik of Victoria. Arguably the most radical far left state with the most radical far left Labor government, Andrews has been pushing one progressive nightmare cause after another.
Many have sadly passed, but this afternoon two of his more outrageous bills were defeated. That calls for not one but two celebrations: time to pop the champagne. The first bill was an outrageous attack on religious freedom. It just very narrowly was defeated, with a tied vote.
One of the champs fighting this in Parliament was DLP MP Rachel Carling-Jenkins. She said this:
The Equal Opportunity Amendment (Religious Exceptions) Bill has just been defeated in the Legislative Council, with a tied vote of 19 each way. This is a win for fundamental freedoms and the right of parents to choose a meaningful (not compromised) faith-based education for their children. Many thanks to everyone who has taken an interest in this bill and made their views known.
Needless to say the lunar left was not thrilled about this outcome, including the left-wing media. The Age was certainly not happy. Their report said in part:
A controversial equal rights bill has been knocked back after conservative micro-party MPs in Victoria’s upper house united with the Coalition to vote it down. The government had attempted to change equal opportunity laws that would have made it harder for religious organisations and schools to discriminate against employees based on their faith or sexuality. The bill was defeated in the upper house on Tuesday afternoon.
The bill would have introduced an “inherent requirement” test, ensuring religious groups and schools could only discriminate against employees based on their sexuality or beliefs if they could prove it was central to their job.
Equality Minister Martin Foley said the Liberals were “either for equality or they’re not”.
“Their arguments were completely devoid of empathy and a willingness to consider that all Victorians should experience equal rights,” he said. But Opposition attorney-general John Pesutto said the bill was never necessary and it had sought to remove “longstanding protection” for religious freedom.
“The Andrews government completely failed to demonstrate why this bill was necessary in the first place and it did not produce any examples justifying the need for change other than cases that would already offend existing laws,” he said. Religious groups had previously attacked the inherent requirement test as draconian and “anti-religious”.
As one analyst, Simon Kennedy, said about the defeat:
The Bill was a direct attack on religious groups in Victoria, as it restricted the ability of religious groups to make employment decisions based on whether a candidate or employee agreed with and practised the religion. The Bill would have restricted religious organisations; churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples, along with faith-based schools, welfare agencies and healthcare organisations from choosing to hire people who agreed with the religion.
The bill would have also diminished freedom of association for those who choose to associate around a common cause or set of values. Many people choose to associate with particular groups because of a shared set of values or having a particular cause or quality in common, such as same political or religious beliefs, advancing the cause of a race or ethnicity, sexual preference or other cause such as relief of poverty. But only religious groups and values would have been restricted by this Bill. Not political parties or clubs, not clubs for advancing minority cultures.
I had written about this odious bill a few months ago: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2016/09/05/anti-christian-bigotry-victoria/
So this was a terrific win for freedom of speech and especially for religious freedom. The second big win was the defeat of the equally diabolical “Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Amendment Bill 2016”. This was another shocker of a bill, designed to please the 1 – 2 per cent of radical leftists, but alienate everyone else.
As one news report put it:
Victoria’s bid to let people change their gender on their birth certificates has been defeated in the state’s upper house. The Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Amendment Bill 2016 was introduced to parliament by the government earlier this year and if passed, would allow people to change their sex in their birth registration and provide documentation acknowledging a person’s new name and sex.
Opposition spokesman John Pesutto said the bill went “too far” and was driven by “ideology, not common sense”. Greens spokesman Sam Hibbins called on the government to consider reintroducing the bill. “Self-determination of gender on birth certificates is vital,” he said in a statement on Tuesday. “The Liberals have abandoned the LGBTI community and everybody that believes in fairness.”
The idea that we can simply change our gender like we change the colour of our socks is another nutter agenda item of the ideological left and the gender bender zealots. And of course it is completely nonsensical. The militant homosexual lobby insists that homosexuals are born that way and can never change – end of story.
But when it comes to “gender fluidity” we can be whatever we want whenever we want. The sky is the limit for whatever gender preference you might have, and no one is supposed to tell you otherwise. But homosexuality is innate and unalterable. Well sorry, but you can’t have it both ways.
So the idea that one can simply change one’s birth certificate to fit whatever mood you happen to be in on a given day is more leftist lunacy. And this is all part of sneaking in homosexual marriage. As Murray Campbell wrote a few months back:
Apart from the legal and social confusion arising from persons changing their identified gender, perhaps annually, the Government has created a back door for same sex marriage: A married man can choose to now identify as a women on his birth certificate, without having to divorce his wife. Or a unmarried woman may change her birth certificate to male and therefore be legally free to marry a woman, and should they choose 12 months later, change back to female without needing to divorce….
The births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Amendment Bill 2016 is the latest step in a social engineering agenda that has been moving in the background for many years and is now being championed by Daniel Andrews.
As I have said often before, the other side seems to never sleep or eat. It is so intent on destroying society and remaking it into their own disordered image that they are constantly on the go, always bringing in new bills along these lines to waste the time of our parliamentarians.
Instead of dealing with the vital issues of the day which impact all of us, Labor and the Greens simply run with one manic minority cause after another – causes which no one but a handful of activists are advocating for. It is time that common sense and rationality replace the gender bender and sexual anarchist agendas which are now crippling our governments.
But for now we have had two great wins in a row. Many thanks to everyone who worked so hard on these matters, lobbied MPs on this, wrote letters about it, and prayed fervently against it all. All your efforts have paid off big time. You are champions and we salute you.
Well done today. The fight continues. Eternal vigilance required.
Yes quite right Julie.
Hi Bill, very pleased to hear that The Equal Opportunity Amendment (Religious Exceptions) Bill has just been defeated. I sent an email earlier highlighting my concerns about this bill to my local MP and today got a response from him:
Daniel Young MLC — Equal Opportunity Amendment update:
Dear Subscribers,
I am writing to notify you on the defeat of the Equal Opportunity Amendment (Religious Exceptions) Bill 2016.
Firstly, thank you for sharing your concerns about the bill, which was defeated in the Legislative Council of the Victorian Parliament today.
I received much correspondence sharing similar concerns that there was no need to change current Victorian law that provides exceptions for religious bodies (including educational institutions) to permit them to exercise certain rights to employ staff.
It was unclear to me why the change was being called for, with no evidence that such an exemption has been unjust. In fact, it appeared it would be unjust to change laws to force religious bodies to employ someone opposed to their beliefs and doctrines.
Additionally, it appeared the bill would be in conflict with the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities. These are some of the reasons for which I voted against the bill.
Again, thank you for sharing your views in this matter and know they were taken under consideration. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact my office on 03 5799 1331 or email me at Daniel.Young@parliament.vic.gov.au.
Regards,.
Great Job Daniel Young!!!
Thanks Bill for being such a soldier in the battle for the End of days!! “A luta continua, vitória é certa” ( “The struggle continues, victory is certain”)
Many thanks for writing to your MP Daniel. Well done.
Hi Bill, this is great news on these two fronts. However the fight doesn’t stop. On tonight’s TV , news, “Comrade Andrews” has announced that early in 2017 he will introduce a Euthenasia Bill. His father’s recent death from cancer seems to have prompted this push. According to the news reports Andrews wants this Bill finalised early next year. The following year (2018) is an election year, He would’nt want this issue up for discussion during an election in a pink fit. Again Bill, great news, but the fight goes on! Regards, Kelvin.
Yes thanks I saw that Kelvin. Never a dull moment here! The battles continue.
Excellent news indeed, only shame is that it was so close! Thanks for your continued efforts.
All that language about ‘anti-discrimination’ and ‘equality’ is just a weak smokescreen for hatred of God and truth. These people are actively looking for the justification of Nazi-like bullying of people they hate on the flimsiest of pretexts. I hope they all never get another good night’s sleep as the demons who control them rage, unless they come to a place of humility before Jesus.
I, on the other hand, will sleep much better. Thanks and praise to God.
“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.” – Isaiah 57:21
Onwards and upwards! Well done to you Bill for keeping the issue in front of us. I challenged my local ALP member after reading your posts – got an anaemic reply for my troubles. But many single voices make for a loud noise!
Way to Go. Christians everywhere!
Congratulations to you too, Bill for keeping us so informed.
What AMAZING Victories in Jesus Most Holy Name.
Praise + Glory + Honour to you, Sovereign God – May your Kingdom Come!
Yes, a ‘good’ result, but what is of great concern is the fact that these Bills got through the Lower House to start with and the numbers who voted for them in the Upper House. Make no mistake, these people will be back and will not stop until they succeed with their crazy agenda’s. It is up to us to state ever more loudly and clearly that we the sane silent majority will not tolerate such lunacy and MAKE SURE we vote them out at the next election. We may have won this battle but the war is by no means over – far from it! We need better candidates and better ‘leaders’.
Gosh, it’s nonsense like this which is driving the electorates to people like Pauline Hanson. I don’t agree with much of what she says but I totally understand the voters turning to her and similar far right politicians.
Yes quite so Peter.
Thanks for sharing this great news, Bill. “.. the other side seems to never sleep or eat…” That made me laugh out loud.
Praise God and may He bless and protect all those fighting the militant left.
Sir Henry Bolte must be turning in his grave at the unedifying shambles that Victorian State politics has degenerated into.
“Greens spokesman Sam Hibbins called on the government to consider reintroducing the bill. “Self-determination of gender on birth certificates is vital,” he said in a statement on Tuesday. “The Liberals have abandoned the LGBTI community and everybody that believes in fairness.” ”
This quote is incredible in many ways. Such twisted thinking arouses suspicions of possible insanity in the minds of people who still retain some measure of rationality and common sense. Apparently the basic facts of life can now be airbrushed out by legislative fiat. I am disturbed by the lemming-like mentality of our political representatives these days. A small number of activists run with a ridiculous issue and then big pressure is applied from the party machine to comply with the party dictat. Still it is revealing that all this madness is a sneaky back-door method to homosexual marriage. I had not realized that was on their nefarious agenda.
Praise God.
But The fight continues though.
Phil
Thanks to God for not allowing these bills to become law! I watched some of the debate of the bills via internet yesterday and many members that voted against the bills talked about the hundreds of emails they received from constituents against the bills and so they could firmly say that the bills were not in accord with community sentiment. Great that so many people wrote in and I am sure prayed as well. We can make a difference. And many members against the bills spoke very well.
Never let your guard down, because the enemies won’t stop.
Yes the battles keep on coming Mark.
Hi Bill this was great news thanks for letting us know, I like the words you use to describe what is happening, hold the champagne corks though, today we are being asked by the AFA to write a submission to parliament about 18C. Will you please direct us to an article you have written about this racial discrimination act that Roz Ward wants changed and how what we can write in our submissions to make them really effective before this Friday?
UPDATE: The legal connections between the push for same-sex marriage, current anti-free-speech laws and the gender-fluid ideology in school programs like Safe Schools should not be underestimated.
For those who understand how anti-discrimination provisions can be used as a weapon statements like this are very revealing, “Now Ms [Roz] Ward has publicly stated that the “contested gender theory” that has parents up in arms is grounded in the anti-discrimination laws.(Pg.2)”
INQUIRY INTO 18C:
On 8 November Part IIA of the federal Racial Discrimination Act, which includes Section 18C and 18D, was referred to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights for inquiry and report. (More info)
Submissions are due by 9 December. (The Report date is 28 February, 2017.)
MAKE A SUBMISSION
Post:
Committee Secretary,
PO Box 6100,
Parliament House,
Canberra ACT 2600
Email: 18Cinquiry@aph.gov.au
After Christmas, I will make a donation to the AFA because you have been doing a marvelous job keeping us informed and I would like to receive copies of the newsletter. This man Ward has to be stopped, he is behaving like a complete jerk to say the least. Blessings to you and all your disciples Bill, Keep up your courageous efforts.
Thanks Sandra. I have written often about 18C as might be imagined. The latest piece I penned on it is this:
Haven’t these “gender bender” enthusiasts ever heard of CHROMOSOMES?! No amount of paper shuffling is ever going to change an “XX” into an “XY” or vice versa… no matter how many times they choose to change their underwear!! ????
I just sent my submission off to the 18C inquiry. Praying that wisdom will prevail and the Act will be amended to allow freedom of religious beliefs to be exercised once again!
Well done Kevin.
The title of your new article sounds good Bill! It is one that can apply in many contexts, particularly in the next challenge before us to:
“Stop Daniel Andrews introducing euthanasia!”
Today ACL asked us to protect the vulnerable people from state sanctioned killing,
Speak up now!
Daniel Andrews, the same Premier who as Health Minister in 2008 gave us abortion on demand, is now trumpeting Euthanasia and assisted suicide as the solution for those suffering pain at the end of their lives.
Such boundaries are always breached in practice wherever euthanasia is legalised.
All lives are worth living (saving) and as international experience bears out there are no sufficient safeguards to protect the vulnerable from physician assisted suicide — not forgetting that God is in control and it is against his will to take another human life into our own hands or take our own lives by committing suicide no matter what a Melbourne oncologist says or our state premier has experienced!
The Labor Government has announced its support for euthanasia through assisted suicide as its big agenda item for 2017 and they need to know of our objections and if your MPs vote for euthanasia, that we will vote against them in the 2018 Victorian election among many other important reasons. Just one more challenge to add to a broken wrist for this writer, the cast is off although it doesn’t look or feel good, the restoration process will take a long time. All I want for Christmas is a new wrist to write and do other things that only a right hand can do. May the blessings of the Lord continue endlessly. Praying for good government, the many people who support and encourage them, coveting your prayers! Blessings Bill
Praise the Lord! and thanks to all involved.
Well done today. The fight continues. Eternal vigilance required.
Yes quite right Julie.
Hi Bill, very pleased to hear that The Equal Opportunity Amendment (Religious Exceptions) Bill has just been defeated. I sent an email earlier highlighting my concerns about this bill to my local MP and today got a response from him:
Daniel Young MLC — Equal Opportunity Amendment update:
Dear Subscribers,
I am writing to notify you on the defeat of the Equal Opportunity Amendment (Religious Exceptions) Bill 2016.
Firstly, thank you for sharing your concerns about the bill, which was defeated in the Legislative Council of the Victorian Parliament today.
I received much correspondence sharing similar concerns that there was no need to change current Victorian law that provides exceptions for religious bodies (including educational institutions) to permit them to exercise certain rights to employ staff.
It was unclear to me why the change was being called for, with no evidence that such an exemption has been unjust. In fact, it appeared it would be unjust to change laws to force religious bodies to employ someone opposed to their beliefs and doctrines.
Additionally, it appeared the bill would be in conflict with the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities. These are some of the reasons for which I voted against the bill.
Again, thank you for sharing your views in this matter and know they were taken under consideration. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact my office on 03 5799 1331 or email me at Daniel.Young@parliament.vic.gov.au.
Regards,.
Great Job Daniel Young!!!
Thanks Bill for being such a soldier in the battle for the End of days!! “A luta continua, vitória é certa” ( “The struggle continues, victory is certain”)
Many thanks for writing to your MP Daniel. Well done.
Hi Bill, this is great news on these two fronts. However the fight doesn’t stop. On tonight’s TV , news, “Comrade Andrews” has announced that early in 2017 he will introduce a Euthenasia Bill. His father’s recent death from cancer seems to have prompted this push. According to the news reports Andrews wants this Bill finalised early next year. The following year (2018) is an election year, He would’nt want this issue up for discussion during an election in a pink fit. Again Bill, great news, but the fight goes on! Regards, Kelvin.
Yes thanks I saw that Kelvin. Never a dull moment here! The battles continue.
Excellent news indeed, only shame is that it was so close! Thanks for your continued efforts.
All that language about ‘anti-discrimination’ and ‘equality’ is just a weak smokescreen for hatred of God and truth. These people are actively looking for the justification of Nazi-like bullying of people they hate on the flimsiest of pretexts. I hope they all never get another good night’s sleep as the demons who control them rage, unless they come to a place of humility before Jesus.
I, on the other hand, will sleep much better. Thanks and praise to God.
“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.” – Isaiah 57:21
Onwards and upwards! Well done to you Bill for keeping the issue in front of us. I challenged my local ALP member after reading your posts – got an anaemic reply for my troubles. But many single voices make for a loud noise!
Way to Go. Christians everywhere!
Congratulations to you too, Bill for keeping us so informed.
What AMAZING Victories in Jesus Most Holy Name.
Praise + Glory + Honour to you, Sovereign God – May your Kingdom Come!
Yes, a ‘good’ result, but what is of great concern is the fact that these Bills got through the Lower House to start with and the numbers who voted for them in the Upper House. Make no mistake, these people will be back and will not stop until they succeed with their crazy agenda’s. It is up to us to state ever more loudly and clearly that we the sane silent majority will not tolerate such lunacy and MAKE SURE we vote them out at the next election. We may have won this battle but the war is by no means over – far from it! We need better candidates and better ‘leaders’.
Gosh, it’s nonsense like this which is driving the electorates to people like Pauline Hanson. I don’t agree with much of what she says but I totally understand the voters turning to her and similar far right politicians.
Yes quite so Peter.
Thanks for sharing this great news, Bill. “.. the other side seems to never sleep or eat…” That made me laugh out loud.
Praise God and may He bless and protect all those fighting the militant left.
Sir Henry Bolte must be turning in his grave at the unedifying shambles that Victorian State politics has degenerated into.
“Greens spokesman Sam Hibbins called on the government to consider reintroducing the bill. “Self-determination of gender on birth certificates is vital,” he said in a statement on Tuesday. “The Liberals have abandoned the LGBTI community and everybody that believes in fairness.” ”
This quote is incredible in many ways. Such twisted thinking arouses suspicions of possible insanity in the minds of people who still retain some measure of rationality and common sense. Apparently the basic facts of life can now be airbrushed out by legislative fiat. I am disturbed by the lemming-like mentality of our political representatives these days. A small number of activists run with a ridiculous issue and then big pressure is applied from the party machine to comply with the party dictat. Still it is revealing that all this madness is a sneaky back-door method to homosexual marriage. I had not realized that was on their nefarious agenda.
Praise God.
But The fight continues though.
Phil
Thanks to God for not allowing these bills to become law! I watched some of the debate of the bills via internet yesterday and many members that voted against the bills talked about the hundreds of emails they received from constituents against the bills and so they could firmly say that the bills were not in accord with community sentiment. Great that so many people wrote in and I am sure prayed as well. We can make a difference. And many members against the bills spoke very well.
Splendid news!
But on to another fight:
http://bernardgaynor.com.au/18c-inquiry/
Never let your guard down, because the enemies won’t stop.
Yes the battles keep on coming Mark.
Hi Bill this was great news thanks for letting us know, I like the words you use to describe what is happening, hold the champagne corks though, today we are being asked by the AFA to write a submission to parliament about 18C. Will you please direct us to an article you have written about this racial discrimination act that Roz Ward wants changed and how what we can write in our submissions to make them really effective before this Friday?
UPDATE: The legal connections between the push for same-sex marriage, current anti-free-speech laws and the gender-fluid ideology in school programs like Safe Schools should not be underestimated.
For those who understand how anti-discrimination provisions can be used as a weapon statements like this are very revealing, “Now Ms [Roz] Ward has publicly stated that the “contested gender theory” that has parents up in arms is grounded in the anti-discrimination laws.(Pg.2)”
INQUIRY INTO 18C:
On 8 November Part IIA of the federal Racial Discrimination Act, which includes Section 18C and 18D, was referred to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights for inquiry and report. (More info)
Submissions are due by 9 December. (The Report date is 28 February, 2017.)
MAKE A SUBMISSION
Post:
Committee Secretary,
PO Box 6100,
Parliament House,
Canberra ACT 2600
Email: 18Cinquiry@aph.gov.au
After Christmas, I will make a donation to the AFA because you have been doing a marvelous job keeping us informed and I would like to receive copies of the newsletter. This man Ward has to be stopped, he is behaving like a complete jerk to say the least. Blessings to you and all your disciples Bill, Keep up your courageous efforts.
Thanks Sandra. I have written often about 18C as might be imagined. The latest piece I penned on it is this:
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2016/08/08/sharia-loss-freedom-nations-capital/
Thank you.
Haven’t these “gender bender” enthusiasts ever heard of CHROMOSOMES?! No amount of paper shuffling is ever going to change an “XX” into an “XY” or vice versa… no matter how many times they choose to change their underwear!! ????
I just sent my submission off to the 18C inquiry. Praying that wisdom will prevail and the Act will be amended to allow freedom of religious beliefs to be exercised once again!
Well done Kevin.
The title of your new article sounds good Bill! It is one that can apply in many contexts, particularly in the next challenge before us to:
“Stop Daniel Andrews introducing euthanasia!”
Today ACL asked us to protect the vulnerable people from state sanctioned killing,
Speak up now!
Daniel Andrews, the same Premier who as Health Minister in 2008 gave us abortion on demand, is now trumpeting Euthanasia and assisted suicide as the solution for those suffering pain at the end of their lives.
Such boundaries are always breached in practice wherever euthanasia is legalised.
All lives are worth living (saving) and as international experience bears out there are no sufficient safeguards to protect the vulnerable from physician assisted suicide — not forgetting that God is in control and it is against his will to take another human life into our own hands or take our own lives by committing suicide no matter what a Melbourne oncologist says or our state premier has experienced!
Email your Victorian MP before Christmas for a safer 2017 from the ACL website, you can write an email to your MP, using some of the information provided here: http://www.acl.org.au/email_your_victorian_mp_before_christmas_for_a_safer_2017?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Stop%20Daniel%20Andrews%20introducing%20euthanasia&utm_content=Stop%20Daniel%20Andrews%20introducing%20euthanasia+CID_7a0c158b82fee5cc50ee13970a11c8a7&utm_source=CreateSend&utm_term=Take%20action
The Labor Government has announced its support for euthanasia through assisted suicide as its big agenda item for 2017 and they need to know of our objections and if your MPs vote for euthanasia, that we will vote against them in the 2018 Victorian election among many other important reasons. Just one more challenge to add to a broken wrist for this writer, the cast is off although it doesn’t look or feel good, the restoration process will take a long time. All I want for Christmas is a new wrist to write and do other things that only a right hand can do. May the blessings of the Lord continue endlessly. Praying for good government, the many people who support and encourage them, coveting your prayers! Blessings Bill