Society

SA parties joining Christians in opposing R18+ classification

The SA Liberals have joined the SA Labor Government in opposing the introduction of an R18+ classification for computer games, while the Greens are the only South Australian political party in favour of this change, according to answers to a questionnaire released today.

Most parties are committed to reducing the number of poker machines in the State and are also committed to addressing homelessness, according to other responses.

The questionnaire also reveals that the Labor Government has no plans to revisit the state Equal Opportunity Act 1984 or to use anti-discrimination legislation to restrict freedom of religion, while the Greens are the only party to actively support same-sex couples having children via adoption or surrogacy.

In the countdown to next Saturday’s close-fought election, the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) has launched a website informing Christians about what the parties think on key issues Christians care about.

The website www.savotes.org provides the responses of political parties to 17 questions ranging from indigenous issues, homelessness, mental health, and climate change policies to abortion, palliative care, religious freedom and prostitution laws.

ACL SA/Victorian Director Rob Ward said the aim of the website is to assist Christians to make a wise and informed vote at the upcoming election after accurately weighing up the different party policies and views on issues of concern to them.

“Research conducted for the ACL as part of the 2006 National Church Life Survey confirms that Christians care about a broad range of moral and social justice issues, which they believe should be actively lobbied on in the political sphere,” he said.

“The questions put to political parties are in keeping with this wide range of interest and mean that the parties have had to clearly state their policies on issues which sometimes fall below the radar of mainstream election coverage.”

Mr Ward said the website contains responses from the ALP, the Liberals, the Greens, Family First, and the Democratic Labor Party.

Other special features of the SA Votes website include details on how MPs voted on three conscience issues (cloning, euthanasia and surrogacy) and information about female candidates endorsed by the pro-abortion group Emily’s List.

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