MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate release

7 June 2006

Gay civil unions are not marriages

The decision yesterday by the Howard Government to block the move in the nation's capital to allow same-sex couples to enter into civil unions has been welcomed by Australian Baptist leaders.

The President of the Baptist Union of Australia, Dr Ross Clifford, and the President of the Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT, Mr Ron Syme, agreed that it was inappropriate to legally recognize same-sex civil unions as virtual marriages.

The comments followed the Federal Government's exercise of its power to intervene under section 35 of the ACT Self-Government Act, which states the Governor-General, on the advice of the executive council, may disallow an ACT enactment within six months.

The Marriage Act declared that marriage is a union between a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, they said. This foundational principle reflected the teaching of the Judeo-Christian Scriptures and was upheld by Baptist churches.

They agreed that the gospel compelled Christians to act with grace and compassion toward all people, including those who identified as gay and lesbian, but this did not extend to placing same-sex civil unions on a par with Christian marriage.

It was clear that an overwhelming majority of Australian Baptists viewed the laws introduced by the ACT Government as an erosion of the status and meaning of marriage in our society.

Dr Clifford and Mr Syme emphasized that Australian Baptists would continue to support policy and legislative measures designed to safeguard and strengthen family values.

Rev Dr Ross Clifford

National President

Baptist Union of Australia

Mr Ron Syme

President

Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT