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Christian democracy
of the type found in Europe never gained a strong presence in Australia. While
sectarianism
was an important factor in Australian politics in the early 20th century it was only a single element in political divisions at the time, with Roman Catholics along with the Irish tending to be drawn towards the left-wing
Australian Labor Party
, while Protestants were grouped alongside the British in the various anti-Labor conservative parties of the time.
[1]
Even as Australians' levels of church attendance declined, religious influence, particularly the influence of socially conservative Christians, within political parties has remained strong. In 2017 the
Parliamentary Christian Fellowship
meet fortnightly, with about 60 members from all sides of politics in attendance. This is more than a quarter of total parliamentary members.
[2]
The Australian National Prayer Breakfast started in 1985 and is based on the
National Prayer Breakfast
.
[3]
Conservative religious community groups such as the
Australian Family Association
have been vocal in their opposition to developments such as
gay rights
and
same sex marriage
.
Christian organisations, especially the
Catholic Church in Australia
are influential on many social and political issues. It operates through a number of front organisations ostensibly on particular public issues, such as the
Australian Family Association
, the
Australian Family Coalition
,
[4]
the
Australian Christian Lobby
and the
Marriage Alliance
, all of which oppose legalisation of
same-sex marriage in Australia
, and
Freedom for Faith
, which promotes itself as "a Christian legal think tank that exists to see religious freedom protected and promoted in Australia,"
[5]
but which proposed to the
Ruddock Inquiry Into Religious Freedom
in Australia to make further exceptions to the
Discrimination Act
ostensibly on the basis of religious freedom.
[6]
Parties
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See also
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References
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