Pray for those in power, says Plibersek

#1042 for broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 29 Feb 2015

Federal Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek told a gathering of Christian leaders in Melbourne on Wednesday that church leaders should be “the voice of the voiceless,” speaking up for those who don’t have a voice, and should pray that “decision makers don’t harden their hearts.”

Asked for times she had seen Christians make a positive impact on politics, she cited the Make Poverty History campaign and the 2003 Iraq war rallies where Christians of all denominations put aside their differences and came together.

Ms Plibersek said she had been inspired and touched by many people who had a very strong Christian faith, but not all the moral people she had met were Christians and not all the Christians she had met had been moral people.

Asked how the church could help her, she urged Christians to speak up for issues “we have in common,” such as increasing Australia’s aid budget.

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