issue SIX June 2011 • $12.50
SAME-SEX
MARRIAGE
The Great Debate
Terri Kelleher v Rodney Croome
SCHOOL CHAPLAINCY
ON TRIAL
Tim Mander and John Kaye
REDEFINING
RELIGION
AND CHARITY
Doug Cameron
Elizabeth Turnour
Louise Steer
GREEN BROKEN
with envy CHILDREN
Bob Brown’s Senate agenda The crisis affecting
Ruth Limkin
Australia’s kids
Paul O’Rourke
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Editor’s NOTE cover story •
This issue of Viewpoint confronts two emotive and FAMILY UNDER FIRE
misunderstood topics: same-sex marriage and school The Australian Family Association’s Terri
chaplaincy. The same-sex debate continues to dominate the Kelleher says redefining marriage is fraught
media in the lead-up to the ALP Conference in December. with dangers for society and children and
So far, Prime Minister Julia Gillard has remained firm in her has little to do with religion, prejudice and
opposition to changing the definition of marriage to include discrimination, while Rodney Croome from
same-sex unions, but the pressure on her is increasing, Australian Marriage Equality argues same-sex
both within her own party and outside. However there is marriage is a fundamental human right and
also growing opposition to the same-sex agenda from the the universal symbol of lifelong commitment.
Opposition, from within the church, and among family and The great debate begins page 11
children’s groups.
We have invited the Australian Family Association and
the Australian Marriage Equality organisation to go beyond • society & culture
the popular rhetoric regurgitated in newspaper and online SO, HOW ARE THE KIDS?
op-ed pieces, and explain in detail why they hold the views Recent shocking cases of abuse involving
they do, including considering the definition of marriage, its children are becoming more common in a
history, purpose, effects on family, children and culture. society that sends contradictory messages
School chaplaincy is literally on-trial, with the Australian about the value of children and childhood.
Secular Society leading a High Court challenge against Paul O’Rourke details the statistics and
the Federal Government funding of school chaplaincy, stories that exemplify the crisis affecting
claiming a breach of the church and state divide. Given many of Australia’s children.
that the Government has restated its support of chaplaincy His report starts on page 4.
in the Budget, we have asked supporters and detractors of
chaplaincy to defend their positions. • chaplaincy
After a raft of inquiries and discussion papers over the
past decade, the Federal Government has finally decided to PASTORAL CARE OR CONVERSION?
fund a charities and not-for-profit commission to regulate the Scripture Union’s Tim Mander says chaplains exist in
activities of churches and charities. Most controversial is the the military, sporting clubs and schools, are wanted
plan to tax charities and churches which operate commercial and complement other welfare initiatives. Greens MP
activities unrelated to their welfare work, and for charities to John Kaye says chaplaincy provides dubious benefits
demonstrate a public benefit of their programs. and is a means of Christians spreading their religious
Also in this issue, columnist Ruth Limkin writes on propaganda. Feature begins page 22.
the likely legislative agenda of the Greens after gaining
• charities commission • special feature
control of the Senate; I outline the crisis affecting Australia’s
children; Toby Hall writes on mental health initiatives, and LOSING MY RELIGION KIDS IN A LOLLY SHOP
MP Paul Fletcher comments on the National Broadband Senator Doug Cameron, who sat The PM will
Network. on the senate inquiry which led to have to contend
Viewpoint seeks to educate, inform and challenge readers a charities commission, says the with a hostile
on important issues before the parliament by inviting credible definitions of religion and charity Senate now
authors to present detailed and well-researched essays in are ill-defined, and that the welfare the Greens are
support of their respective positions. Our objective is to sector should not be regulated by the in town. Ruth
cover issues in enough detail as to enable policy makers and ATO. Solicitors Elizabeth Turnour Limkin explores
voters to make better-informed decisions about important and Louise Steer, representing this latest twist
topics. Moores Legal and the Fundraising on a Federal
Viewpoint is distributed to all federal and state Institute of Australia respectively, Parliament where major players
parliamentarians, plus a growing subscriber base, and is on say taxing the commercial activities perform a delicate dance of strategy
sale in select newsagencies across Australia. of churches and charities, and and diplomacy to pass legislation and
burdening the sector with red tape govern the nation. Her special report
will hurt. Page 32 on the new season starts page 46.
REGULAR FEATURES
8. Baby talk: Clare van Ryn 10. Broadband woes: Paul Fletcher
9. Rethink mental health: Toby Hall 49-54. Article references
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• society & culture
SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN
being drowned out by much more by PAUL O’ROURKE
‘critical’ adult agendas such as same- Viewpoint editor Paul O’Rourke is
sex marriage, the right to artificial
“The cost of the reproductive technologies, which may
the former CEO of child development
and advocacy organisation,
pain and suffering prevent children from ever knowing Compassion Australia, and has a
experienced by their biological parents, and all the
noise about climate change and a
Masters Degree in holistic child
development and authored, edited
the children and carbon tax. and compiled
young people who Unfortunately for them, children
have no union, can’t vote, don’t drive,
three books about
children in Australia
are abused and have little money and no representation and developing
neglected represents of their own in a world of adults who
get to make all the rules and presume to
nations. He is also a
former editor of the
a burden that is speak for kids. Newcastle Herald.
most heavily paid Child abuse rated only 13th in a list
of our biggest concerns, behind council
in the loss of their rates, petrol prices, tolls and public
childhood,” Dr Joe transport, according to an Australian
Childhood Foundation survey.2 The
in January 2007 in full view of her
siblings and other horrified motorists.
Tucci and Professor foundation also found that community A few months before Darcey’s death,
Chris Goddard.1 concerns about children had not
increased between 2003 and 2006
seven-year-old “Ebony’’4was found
starved to death by her parents in the
despite the unprecedented increase in sleepy seaside suburb of Hawks Nest,
abuse and out-of-home-care rates. north of Newcastle. She weighed just
Children are in need of a brand 9kg, about the size of a one-year-old.
A
makeover, a relaunch, using all the The court heard Ebony had died a slow
ustralian children are not modern media savvy we can muster and painful death.
doing so well. You need only and have used effectively to save
turn on the television, listen to whales and demonise smokers. Horrific deaths
the radio, or grab a newspaper on any In March this year, police arrested A few weeks before her death, two-
day to become aware of yet another 13 Australians after they cracked year-old Dean Shillingsworth was
sickening act of violence and injustice, what is believed to be the world’s killed by his mother who then stuffed
usually perpetrated by adults, against largest internet paedophile ring, a his little body into a suitcase and threw
the most defenceless of society – our sophisticated syndicate spanning more it into a dam in south-west Sydney. His
precious children. than a dozen countries.3 Police arrested mother was convicted of his murder.
While there is extensive media 184 people and identified 230 child An Australian mother who admitted
coverage of the vilest crimes victims, including four Australians. The spending welfare money on cigarettes
against children, there is very little network operated via a Netherlands- and gambling was sentenced in
written about the causes and, more based online forum, boylover.net that October last year to six years in prison
importantly, the solutions to the many promoted the merits of sex between for starving, beating, and neglecting
problems destroying our nation’s adults and young boys. Police said her children.5 Prosecutor Jim Pearce
future. It will take most of this article hundreds of the 70,000 members of told the court the children were starved
just to unpack the extent of child abuse the website used the discussion site as and sometimes forced to vomit if they
and neglect, let alone discuss abortion, a front to make contact before sharing ate when they were not supposed to.
family breakdown, poverty, the illegal images and films of children They were also made to stand against
sexualisation of children, and the self being abused. a wall all day and were beaten for
esteem issues afflicting children and In the same month, Arthur Freeman stepping out of line.
youth, including self-harm, depression was convicted of killing his four-year- In mid-December last year, water
and suicide. old daughter, Darcey, whom he threw polo champion Keli Lane was found
Children’s rights and voices are from Melbourne’s West Gate Bridge guilty in a Sydney court of murdering
4 | viewpointmagazine.com.au
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