Nationally consistent marriage laws

For broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 20 Oct 2013.

Australian Baptist leaders have commended Prime Minister Tony Abbott for his Government’s support of the current legal definition of marriage, and for a proposal to challenge the ACT Government’s same sex marriage bill in the High Court as soon as it becomes law.

Keith Jobberns, National Ministries Director of Australian Baptist Ministries, said “Nationally consistent marriage laws are in Australia’s best interests and the Commonwealth Marriage Act provides that consistency.”

“The ACT bill is a direct challenge to federal jurisdiction of marriage, and the federal government has a responsibility to act to protect the meaning of marriage as it is currently understood. Australian Baptists support action by the Federal Parliament to overturn State or Territory legislation that attempts to amend the definition of marriage to include same sex couples.”

The NSW Council of Churches shares these concerns and urges the federal government to protect the current definition of marriage.

I’m Rod Benson for the NSW Council of Churches.