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Category Archives: Politics
Shem Bennett’s (LDP) Speech to the Australian Christian Lobby
I was at the Meet Your Candidate Forum run by the Australian Christian Lobby, supporting fellow Liberal Democrat, Shem Bennett. Here is his excellent speech:
I’m going to be brutally honest. When I was first invited to the Australian Christian Lobby’s forum I
wasn’t sure I should even come. After all, I’m a gay, I’m an atheist and the Liberal Democrats support
legalising same-sex marriage and voluntary euthanasia. I wasn’t sure what I’d really have to offer
Christian voters. I was raised in a strict Christian faith, though. So I thought back to my childhood and
the kinds of things that I was taught back then. I came to realise the Liberal Democrats actually have
a lot to offer Christian voters despite how different my personal beliefs are to the beliefs of those
here.
You see, the Liberal Democrats believe first and foremost in freedom for individuals from
government intervention. We don’t believe it is the role of government to try and legislate morality.
Individuals should follow their own conscience, their own beliefs and make their own moral
judgements. I believe this free agency and freedom of choice is essential in a healthy society. And in
my Christian upbringing this free choice seemed to underpin a lot of teachings, too. Humans are
granted the freedom to sin, or to follow God’s teachings, as they will. God does not prevent us from
sin; He lets us make our own choices. And since even God doesn’t try and stop us from being
immoral, why should government try to?
That said there is a big role for government to play in preventing crime- for example: stopping
murders, assaults and theft. These are violent and coercive acts that have a significant impact on
others. But while most Christians I know are morally opposed to lying, none support a law against
lying. And that is how the Liberal Democrats believe should it be for other moral questions such as
homosexuality, fornication, voluntary euthanasia and abortion. A good Christian will never agree
with such things- but I do think it’s possible for Christians tolerate those things being legal.
Turning to the issue of marriage, though. The Liberal Democrats understand that many Christian
faiths have strongly held opinions about traditional marriage. We would never seek to undermine
those views by forcing a church to marry two men together. But we do believe gay couples should
have the right to determine what level of commitment they want in a relationship and government
should keep a legal register of those relationships. We also understand, however, that some
Christians want a stronger form of legal commitment such as a covenant marriage so they can
protect the traditional idea of marriage as being for time and all eternity. People who want to enter
into stronger forms of marriage that exclude “no-fault divorce”, etc should have that right and the
government should provide them with legal recognition. We believe it is the right of individuals to
determine what form their relationships take and government’s only duty is to keep a register of
these relationships.
You see- unlike the Greens, Sex Party or other groups that support same-sex marriage we aren’t
anti-Christian, we’re just not pro-Christian either. We aren’t in favour of gay marriage itself, we’re in
favour of freedom. And that includes the freedom for Christian churches and schools to have all-
Christian staff. That includes the freedom to wear religious symbols in public. That includes the
freedom of elected officials to pray in parliament. And that includes the freedom for schools to make
decisions about staffing and curriculum and for parents to make choices about their children’s own
education.
The Liberal Democrats’ schools policy specifically seeks to empower parents and principals. We seek
to decentralise authority for school curriculum, staffing and class sizes from bureaucrats in Canberra
down to the local level. Schools- even public schools- should be able to have scripture class, employ
school chaplains and teach creationism if that is what parents wish. We also believe that education
funding should follow the students, not the schools, and should exist across the public and private
school sectors. Parents, especially those on low incomes, shouldn’t be penalised for choosing a
religious, special-needs or selective school environment for their kids. Parents that choose to home
school their children shouldn’t be penalised, either.
The Liberal Democrats also support a stronger role for private charity in providing for the needs of
people. Charities such as the Salvation Army and Anglicare do a great job of helping those in need.
As a result, the Liberal Democrats would never seek to remove tax-exempt status from Christian
charities. We’d also try to shift the burden of welfare away from government organisations like
Centrelink and more towards private charities.
So you see- it shouldn’t matter to Christians that I’m a gay atheist or that my party supports gay
marriage and voluntary euthanasia. We have different beliefs and I’m not even going to try and
convince you that my beliefs are right. But I hope I’ve shown that the Liberal Democrats do have
something to offer Christians. Not you because you are Christians but because you are individuals.
We believe individuals should be free to pursue their own lives to the best of their abilities and
should be free to make their own moral judgements, regardless of their beliefs. If you share that
belief then perhaps you’ll consider voting for this gay atheist on Election Day this Saturday.
I’m going to be brutally honest. When I was first invited to the Australian Christian Lobby’s forum Iwasn’t sure I should even come. After all, I’m a gay, I’m an atheist and the Liberal Democrats supportlegalising same-sex marriage and voluntary euthanasia. I wasn’t sure what I’d really have to offerChristian voters. I was raised in a strict Christian faith, though. So I thought back to my childhood andthe kinds of things that I was taught back then. I came to realise the Liberal Democrats actually havea lot to offer Christian voters despite how different my personal beliefs are to the beliefs of thosehere.You see, the Liberal Democrats believe first and foremost in freedom for individuals fromgovernment intervention. We don’t believe it is the role of government to try and legislate morality.Individuals should follow their own conscience, their own beliefs and make their own moraljudgements. I believe this free agency and freedom of choice is essential in a healthy society. And inmy Christian upbringing this free choice seemed to underpin a lot of teachings, too. Humans aregranted the freedom to sin, or to follow God’s teachings, as they will. God does not prevent us fromsin; He lets us make our own choices. And since even God doesn’t try and stop us from beingimmoral, why should government try to?That said there is a big role for government to play in preventing crime- for example: stoppingmurders, assaults and theft. These are violent and coercive acts that have a significant impact onothers. But while most Christians I know are morally opposed to lying, none support a law againstlying. And that is how the Liberal Democrats believe should it be for other moral questions such ashomosexuality, fornication, voluntary euthanasia and abortion. A good Christian will never agreewith such things- but I do think it’s possible for Christians tolerate those things being legal.Turning to the issue of marriage, though. The Liberal Democrats understand that many Christianfaiths have strongly held opinions about traditional marriage. We would never seek to underminethose views by forcing a church to marry two men together. But we do believe gay couples shouldhave the right to determine what level of commitment they want in a relationship and governmentshould keep a legal register of those relationships. We also understand, however, that someChristians want a stronger form of legal commitment such as a covenant marriage so they canprotect the traditional idea of marriage as being for time and all eternity. People who want to enterinto stronger forms of marriage that exclude “no-fault divorce”, etc should have that right and thegovernment should provide them with legal recognition. We believe it is the right of individuals todetermine what form their relationships take and government’s only duty is to keep a register ofthese relationships.You see- unlike the Greens, Sex Party or other groups that support same-sex marriage we aren’tanti-Christian, we’re just not pro-Christian either. We aren’t in favour of gay marriage itself, we’re infavour of freedom. And that includes the freedom for Christian churches and schools to have all-Christian staff. That includes the freedom to wear religious symbols in public. That includes thefreedom of elected officials to pray in parliament. And that includes the freedom for schools to makedecisions about staffing and curriculum and for parents to make choices about their children’s owneducation.The Liberal Democrats’ schools policy specifically seeks to empower parents and principals. We seekto decentralise authority for school curriculum, staffing and class sizes from bureaucrats in Canberradown to the local level. Schools- even public schools- should be able to have scripture class, employschool chaplains and teach creationism if that is what parents wish. We also believe that educationfunding should follow the students, not the schools, and should exist across the public and privateschool sectors. Parents, especially those on low incomes, shouldn’t be penalised for choosing areligious, special-needs or selective school environment for their kids. Parents that choose to homeschool their children shouldn’t be penalised, either.The Liberal Democrats also support a stronger role for private charity in providing for the needs ofpeople. Charities such as the Salvation Army and Anglicare do a great job of helping those in need.As a result, the Liberal Democrats would never seek to remove tax-exempt status from Christiancharities. We’d also try to shift the burden of welfare away from government organisations likeCentrelink and more towards private charities.So you see- it shouldn’t matter to Christians that I’m a gay atheist or that my party supports gaymarriage and voluntary euthanasia. We have different beliefs and I’m not even going to try andconvince you that my beliefs are right. But I hope I’ve shown that the Liberal Democrats do havesomething to offer Christians. Not you because you are Christians but because you are individuals.We believe individuals should be free to pursue their own lives to the best of their abilities andshould be free to make their own moral judgements, regardless of their beliefs. If you share thatbelief then perhaps you’ll consider voting for this gay atheist on Election Day this Saturday
Meet Your Candidates Forum
I will be at the Meet Your Candidates Forum tonight supporting fellow LDP Candidate for La Trobe:
When: Monday 16 August, 2010, 7:30pm.
Beaconsfield Baptist Church,
7 Desmond Court, Beaconsfield 3807
(Melway 214 A1)
Continue reading
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Tagged 2010, federal election, graeme klass, Politics, senate
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Liberal Democrats YouTube Ads
Made by a kind supporter:
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My Stance on a Range of Issues
Both Kinds of Politics sent me a questionnaire and is now posted on their site. Here is my response to their questions. Feel free to add to the comments here.
What are your thoughts on asylum seekers?
Australia has a responsibility to assist people who are fleeing political persecution, for two reasons: 1) for compassionate and humanitarian reasons and 2) to demonstrate to the world the attraction of a free, democratic nation.
The best way to describe the Liberal Democrats process for handling asylum seekers is to quote their policy from their website:
“It is necessary to do preliminary health and security checks on all people coming to Australia. Unfortunately, it is not possible to do these checks on unauthorized arrivals before they come to Australia. It is therefore necessary to detain unauthorized arrivals temporarily until basic health and security checks can be completed.
Following these checks the unauthorized arrival can then apply for PR either by paying the immigration fee, applying for an “immigration scholarship” or “immigration loan” or by applying for humanitarian consideration. The process of determining genuine refugee status will be limited to a tribunal of first instance and a single court of appeal. Both will be open to the public.
While awaiting a decision on humanitarian grounds, unauthorized arrivals can apply for temporary release, with bail conditions. Any individual or organization can offer to post a bail equal to the immigration fee. If the unauthorized arrival is denied entry on humanitarian grounds and they refuse to leave the country, then the bail money will be used to pay the immigration fee.”
What are your thoughts on public transport?
Mass transport can provide a useful and beneficial function in society provided that is not subsidized by the taxpayer. Public transport should be allowed to compete for customers as any other normal business would.
What are your thoughts on renewable energy?
Renewable energy is a good thing, provided that it can stand on its own feet, without government subsidization or special legislation to make it “competitive.” I believe that individuals should be free to choose to purchase their energy from renewable sources as they see fit at a price set by the free market.
Do you support or oppose the introduction of the R18+ rating classification for video games?
I support the introduction of R18+ classification for video games. The government (or any bureaucratic agency) should not dictate what consenting adults can and can’t watch, play or interact with.
Do you support or oppose the proposed internet filter?
Strongly oppose. The internet is the modern world’s most amazing system for spreading knowledge, culture, information at extremely low cost. A government (of whatever flavour) having a secret blacklist will slowly and by stealth impinge on the freedom of individuals to access information deemed “politically” sensitive.
In regards to the protection of children, it is up to parents to control the use of technology and internet use, as they see fit.
In regards to child pornography, it is obvious that this is a despicable crime. I would support more resources to the Australian Federal Police to track down the producers of child pornography and have the full weight of the law thrown at them.
Do you support or oppose gay marriage?
I believe that the role of government should have no say in how we define, control or sanction marriage. Marriage should be a decision between consenting adults, no matter their sexual orientation. Again from the LDP website:
“The LDP does not endorse or reject marriage – it simply regards it as a personal decision that anyone should be entitled to make free of government interference, irrespective of their sexual orientation or lifestyle choice. Thus the LDP preference is not to seek the granting by governments of equal rights for gay marriages, but the withdrawal of government so that it remains a private domain.
The LDP would amend relevant legislation so that marriage between two individuals had the same consequences irrespective of whether they were of the same or different gender.”
What are your thoughts on abortion?
I am against abortion as I think that every life should be protected. This is my personal view, but would not attempt to introduce legislation to limit the rights of women in the early stages to seek an abortion.
Do you support or oppose the legalisation of voluntary euthanasia?
I support it. A person owns their life. If they wish to end it and has consented to it (ie. without force, violence or coercion), then so be it. I do personally believe in value of human life, and if a friend, colleague or family member that wanted to go down this path, I would try my hardest, through reason and compassion (not through force), to convince them otherwise.
What are your thoughts on stem cells research?
I support private research institutions and companies undertaking stem cell research. I do not support public funding institutions undertaking stem cell research due to the fact that some tax payers do not support stem cell research and thus cannot voluntarily withdraw their funds from these institutions.
What are your thoughts on education?
Education is important to a well functioning society and economy. The question is: how can we achieve the best educational system in our society? I believe that we need to have market forces participating in education. This means greater competition, greater parental choice, flexibility of schools to adapt to local conditions and direct school vouchers that are redeemable at any accredited educational institution. The delivery of education is the responsibility of the states.
What are your thoughts on campaign finance disclosure?
Running for public office requires voters to know large financial backing from individuals and businesses.
What are your thoughts on climate change?
Being an engineer, I have looked at the evidence and am not convinced at the doomsday scenarios. I believe that man can influence the climate but its effects are largely insignificant.
However, I respect the opposing views that people have on this subject. What I do not respect is the top-down, government backed solutions to climate change that is being foisted upon us. When governments get involved in solutions, trouble always looms. It is far better for people who are concerned about their impact on the climate change to change their own behaviour themselves, rather than forcing legislation to change it for us.
What are your thoughts on water?
Water is obviously crucial to a country like Australia. Governments have completely mismanaged water resources and allocation by supplying water at a lower than market rates. This has led to shortages across many capital cities. My view is that water sources and water management be removed from government hands and put into the hands of the private sector. By letting the price of water rise, this sends a signal to companies to invest in new water sources, and tells consumers to cut back their water usage. Over time, we will see water shortages become a rate event.
Do you support or oppose standing order 50?
I oppose the reading of any prayer in parliament, as I believe in the separation of church and state. Religious faith should be a private matter for the individual.
Are there any local issues you are trying to highlight with your campaign?
Not particularly, although I believe having a low taxing, low spending federal government will in the long term help the people of Victoria.
Though group voting tickets have not been submitted yet, do you have an idea on where your preferences will be going?
The best resource I have found on the net is www.belowtheline.org.au to see where the Liberal Democratic Party preferences are flowing. Continue reading
Posted in Graeme Klass for Senate 2010
Tagged 2010, both kinds of politics, federal election, graeme klass, Politics, senate
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Flat Tax Proposed By the Liberal Democrats
One policy that drew me to the Liberal Democrats is their “30/30″ Negative Income tax, which they have formally released today:
“The Liberal Democrats offer a tax policy that goes beyond reform. Sometimes, revolution is better,” said Terje Petersen, Liberal Democrats candidate for Bennelong.
The Liberal Democratic Party does not argue for incremental tax and welfare reform. Instead it offers a new template from which to consider tax and welfare issues: Reform 30/30.
Reform 30/30 includes a tax-free threshold of $30,000 and a flat tax of 30% above that. All taxes (company, capital gains, fringe benefits) would be equal at 30%.
Welfare would be replaced by a sliding scale of payments (called a Negative Income Tax, or NIT) starting at 30% of $30,000 for those with no other income. As income was earned, NIT payments would be reduced until income reached $30,000.
For example, if you earned $0, you would receive 30% of $30,000. If you earned $10,000, you would receive 30% of $20,000. If you earned $25,000 you would receive 30% of $5,000. No tax would be paid at any of these levels.
One advantage of the NIT is that it removes the need for a minimum wage. Wages can be determined by demand and supply, with those on low incomes receiving the NIT as a supplement. This would result in a significant increase in the number of jobs available, especially benefiting the long term unemployed and those on disability support.
“Probably the biggest advantage of Reform 30/30 is that the effective marginal tax rate (EMTR) is always 30%. Under the current system the EMTR is variable and can be higher than 80%, creating a major disincentive to earn additional income.
“30/30 solves the poverty trap which locks low income families into welfare. Under our policy, low income earners can climb the ‘ladder of prosperity’ to higher incomes and a better standard of living,” said Mr Petersen.
Reform 30/30 is unambiguously beneficial to the economy. It offers 500,000 new jobs, less poverty, a $90 billion bigger economy, higher growth rates, lower tax levels and a simpler, fairer tax/welfare system and more money in the budget.
“Only the Liberal Democrats offer a solution to the poverty trap whilst encouraging saving and investment in our future. The era of buying votes with welfare payments to those who have paid tax must come to an end.
“Reform 30/30 would be a major step forward for Australia,” Mr Petersen said.
Posted in Graeme Klass for Senate 2010
Tagged flat, liberal democratic party, negative income tax, tax
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Graeme Klass for Senate 2010 Facebook Page
My facebook campaign page is up and running here. Continue reading
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Running for Senate in the 2010 Federal Election
I am humbled by the endorsement from the Liberal Democratic Party to run as a senate candidate (Victoria) in the upcoming Federal Election.
The Liberal Democrats are a party that is most aligned with Libertarian philosophies and we are looking to promote our message of limited government, low taxes, greater personal freedom and responsibility. I will be posting my campaign progress further on this blog, but in the mean time you can view the Liberal Democrats policies here. Continue reading
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