Clergy oppose a 'Charter of Rights'

Twenty clergy, from the Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian and Pentecostal churches have met with federal Attorney General Robert McClelland and told him that they OPPOSE a federal human rights Charter as they believe that religious freedom would be undermined.

The delegation was led by Catholic Cardinal George Pell - Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen was unable to attend but supported the delegation.

The media report follows - along with a link to an article written by George Pell opposing the Charter.

Media Report - October 2009

Clergy unite over human rights charter 
Nicola Berkovic | October 23, 2009  Article from:  The Australian 
"THE nation's most powerful church leaders have united in a bid to scuttle efforts to create a national charter of human rights, warning the Rudd government it could curtail religious freedoms and give judges the power to shape laws on issues such as abortion and gay marriage. Catholic cardinal George Pell led a delegation of about 20 church leaders to Canberra to raise strong concerns about the impact of a charter on religious freedoms.... Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen did not attend the meeting with Attorney-General Robert McClelland on Wednesday because of a synod meeting but said he staunchly backed the delegation's views...."

George Pell had an article in The Australian opposing a 'human rights charter'.

Ideology dressed up as social justice
George Pell | October 23, 2009  Article from:  The Australian
"THE Christian churches strongly support human rights and their attendant responsibilities. But religious freedom should not be eroded by stealth. The Brennan committee's report on human rights gives the government two options: an upfront charter of rights or a Trojan Horse version. 
The upfront charter is the committee's proposal for a federal human rights act. Committee chairman Frank Brennan already has acknowledged that parts of this proposal are unviable and unworkable because the High Court of Australia probably won't be able to play the part the committee wants to assign it. But that's OK, the report says. The Australian Human Rights Commission, with increased powers, should be able to fill the gap.
In whatever form it comes, Brennan's charter of rights is a bad idea because it is a threat to some freedoms...."