Fred Nile, the leader of the ultra-conservative Christian Democratic Party (CDP), doesn’t like us. Personally, I see that as a sign of success.
The problem came as it was revealed that Family First (another christian values party) has preferenced the LDP before the CDP in the NSW Senate race. As reported in the Herald Sun, the 73 year old Nile responded angrily, saying that the LDP is “the enemy” and an “anti-Christian party”. The journalist suggests that Family First is “supping with the devil”.
Of course, the LDP is neither pro- nor anti- any religion (including Christianity). We are pro-liberty and against paternalism. Clearly, CDP is a paternalistic party and so we can see why they don’t like us.
It is worth noting that, while FF & CDP are both christian values parties, they have different priorities. Family First wants to talk about bank fees and reducing the petrol tax… while the CDP wants to talk about banning Muslim immigrants and raising the legal age of consent. While we don’t support either party, FF is clearly preferable.
UPDATE: The SMH also runs the FF-LDP story.
UPDATE2: Terje has responded with a press release.
November 6, 2007 at 11:58 am |
Fred Nile is obviously keen for power and is willing to tell fibs in order to get there. The LDP is not anti-Christian. Many of our members and even some of our candidates are commited Christians.
And when my baby daughter and I met up with Fred Nile and the CDP state director Phil Lamb on Saturday morning to finalise preferences they were completely charming and very keen to confirm that they would be putting us before the Liberals. Maybe Fred thinks we are less anti-Christian and anti-family than John Howard. Or maybe he is just as willing as everybody else to be pragmatic in the preference game.
November 6, 2007 at 1:07 pm |
I’ve always dreamt of being part of a movement that is denounced by Fred Nile.
November 6, 2007 at 2:24 pm |
Fred also intends to publicly attack Muslims prior to the election. He thinks it helps his vote.
He’s obviously not been paying attention in bible class. Jesus said:You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:43)
November 6, 2007 at 3:22 pm |
I thought he was dead. I must have been wrong, or at least I hope so, or we are making some really bad enemies.
November 6, 2007 at 3:55 pm |
Does anyone remember this post:
http://alsblog.wordpress.com/2006/12/04/family-first-hate-liberty/
November 6, 2007 at 4:04 pm |
Fred Nile advertising his intolerance and laziness with facts again. What a fine Christian role model.
Well at least he’s giving the LDP some free publicity.
November 6, 2007 at 4:51 pm |
Daniel — just sit on a float in the Mardi Gra and Fred will denounce you.
November 6, 2007 at 5:13 pm |
Doing some reading up on this, the ironic thing is, that the FF-LDP deal actually stems back to the CDP threatening not to preference the less conservative Liberal Senator, Marise Payne. Liberals, worried they wouldn’t get the CDP preferences did a deal with the CDP to put them ahead of FF. FF in response put CDP lower than us on their ballot paper, hoping that given lack of CDP and Lib preferences, we (and other micros) would save their neck.
So whichever way you spin it, it seems Fred Nile is the architect of his own demise. I hope Terje takes the NSW seat just to make the point that Fred Nile’s vitriolic views are not tolerated by Australians.
November 6, 2007 at 6:55 pm |
Both parties are quite terrible. The CDP are worse, but Family First attacks on gays is not good – with this election on of their candidates saying that gay people are unfit to hold a position in parliment – and at the last federal election one of their candidates claiming “Lesbians are witches who should be burnt alive at the stake.” Yes they should be allowed to say that if they want, it tells people the kind of people that they are. Which is why Family First will be just above the CDP and James Baker on my senate preferences.
November 6, 2007 at 6:59 pm |
This is really good for us. Imagine what handing out flyers with Nile’s remarks could do at certain polling places in Wentworth.
‘The LDP has been denounced as ‘the enemy’ and ‘anti-Christian’ for supporting gay marriage by the Reverend Fred Nile.’
That would be pure, 24-carat gold… even if it’s too late to do professional print jobs, we just can’t pass this up.
November 6, 2007 at 9:33 pm |
I’ve just read that the LDP supports child pornography
November 6, 2007 at 9:49 pm |
Where was that?
It’s unfortunate when people with a barrow to push misrepresent policy.
November 6, 2007 at 10:35 pm |
A fellow on the aus.politics group on usenet
November 6, 2007 at 10:54 pm |
Just for the record the LDP does not support child pornography.
November 7, 2007 at 12:13 am |
The LDP doesn’t support child pornography? Damn. I’m going to have to find myself a new party.
November 7, 2007 at 12:55 am |
I don’t know if there’s an Australian branch of NAMBLA, alpine….
November 7, 2007 at 2:13 am |
Terje’s press release gave me a good laugh. Especially the last line:)
November 7, 2007 at 11:28 pm |
the question is do you support gay marriage? I don’t need a politician’s answer just a yes or a no. thank you
November 7, 2007 at 11:35 pm |
Yes.
November 7, 2007 at 11:47 pm |
Quiet, you’ll upset the cud-chewing gun monkeys
November 8, 2007 at 12:08 am |
Gabriel, here is a piece by Terje Peterson, our NSW Senate candidate on gay marriage. It covers why we are in support of gay marriage, rather than just saying “yes”.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/16/2060485.htm