Media Release: Greens Euthanasia Bill Abhorrent

September 8, 2009.

Pdf version - Media Release: Greens Euthanasia Bill Abhorrent

South Australia's proposed Voluntary Euthanasia Bill is totally abhorrent to right minded

Australians.

"In the first instance, it represents a direct violation of the Biblical command not to murder"

said Peter Stokes, CEO of Christian Ethics group Salt Shakers. "Additionally, it can promote

a death culture within the Health Care system."

As Tasmania's AMA president Chris Middleton recently affirmed, "legalising euthanasia would

definitely "poison" the doctor-patient relationship, creating fear and distrust." 1 "We agree",

said Peter Stokes.

We also agree with the Royal College of Nursing statement that voluntary euthanasia could

lead to exploitation of vulnerable elderly Australians from relatives looking to gain financially. (1)

Many Christians would find it abhorrent, and be deeply grieved, to learn that a group calling

itself "Christians Supporting Choice for Voluntary Euthanasia" is supporting the push for

legally "assisted" death.

"To suggest that we can determine for God, supposedly on compassionate grounds, when

life should end is reprehensible!" Said Peter Stokes.

However, just as we should not attempt to pre-empt death, neither should we advocate that

artificial methods be used to unnecessarily prolong life in situations involving terminal illness.

Salt Shakers is calling on the South Australian parliament to vehemently reject the proposed

Greens Bill.

Contact: Peter Stokes
Executive Director - Salt Shakers
Phone: 03 9800 2855 Mobile: 0413 084 145

Reference:

1. Doctors label euthanasia bill 'poison', ABC News Aug 25, 2009.

Media Release: Children's rights paramount

Issued - 7 September 2009

Pdf version: Children's rights paramount

All children deserve the right to proper legal recognition of their mother and father.

"Tasmania's Lower House have been irresponsible towards children by giving legal recognition to lesbian partners on a child's birth certificate", said Peter Stokes, CEO of Christian Ethics group Salt Shakers.

"This further compounds Tasmania's government irresponsibility by allowing same-sex partners access to IVF.

No Government should make it easy for people to do the wrong thing. It is wrong for governments to endorse deliberately bringing children into this world who would not receive the immediate nurture of their biological mother and father".

The proposed amendments to Tasmania's Adoption Act and Status of Children Act creates biological fiction. Children should know who their biological father and mother are on their Birth Certificate.

But in a wider context, "children raised by same-sex lesbian couples face a far higher increased low self-esteem, stress, confusion regarding sexual identity, increased mental illness, drug use, promiscuity, sexually transmitted infections and homosexual behaviour" as Scottish Cardinal Keith O'Brien points out.

"By denying children the benefits of a mother and a father in a committed marriage definitely causes great harm to a weak and vulnerable minority that we should strive to protect," said Peter Stokes.

We call on the Tasmanian Upper House to totally reject this Bill.

CONTACT Peter Stokes

Executive Director - Salt Shakers

Phone: 03 9800 2855 Mobile: 0413 084 145

Reference:
Comments on same-sex parenting by Cardinal Keith O'Brien - source.

Media Release

24 July 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE USE

Anti-Discrimination Farce

A lesbian party organiser has won the legal right to ban men from her parties - and so she should. "In fact, she should not have had to ask for permission," said Peter Stokes CEO of Christian ethics group Salt Shakers.

The decision, made by VCAT Judge Marilyn Harbison, is a common sense reply to calls by Mr Hulls to ban all discrimination and flies in the face of his claim that men-only clubs should have to justify why they do not allow women through the door.

The whole notion of anti-discrimination laws against anything that is a choice, such as lifestyle, sexuality and sexual orientation, religious belief, etc, will ALWAYS infringe on someone else's freedom to choose.

While arbitrary discrimination based on ethnic origin, sex and skin colour are generally always wrong because they are not matters of choice, there are many situations where discrimination based on sex is necessary, especially in the workplace.

"Education, rather than 'laws', would be a much better way to deal with any arbitrary discrimination based on innate characteristics," said Peter Stokes.

"The current review of exceptions to the Equal Opportunity Act should be abolished and the anti-discrimination laws themselves should be repealed."

"It is time to give the people of Victoria back their freedom to choose, their freedom to choose their own standards of right and wrong and their freedom of speech without BIG Brother Mr Hulls breathing down their neck while holding a big stick in his hand," said Peter Stokes.

Free speech and robust public discussion on issues of faith, values and behaviour should be at or near the top of any list is a human rights.

Peter Stokes said "I do not accept lesbian relationships as normal or healthy, but people have the right to decide in whose company they spend their leisure time - just as churches, political parties and employers of any size business should have the freedom to decide who they will employ."

Peter Stokes
Executive Director - Salt Shakers
Phone: 03 9800 2855 Mobile: 0413 084 145
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Newspaper article - "Lesbian dance parties no-go zone for men"

Media Release

16 June 2009

Delay in IVF services for same-sex couples is good news for children

"New evidence shows that children raised by homosexual couples are 4 to 7 times more likely to be homosexual themselves," said Peter Stokes, Executive Officer of Salt Shakers.

"The delay in allowing same-sex couples to have access to IVF should be permanent," he said.

"There are significant differences between children raised by a heterosexual couple and those raised by homosexual couples," said Peter Stokes.

Dr Trayce Hansen, a US psychologist, analysed nine pro-homosexual studies of same-sex parenting. She found that, although the researchers said there was 'no difference' in reality they actually show that children raised by homosexual couples are 4 to 7 times more likely to be homosexual.

She found the researchers did not include their findings about this increased likelihood in their 'summaries' and in some cases did not even refer to the results in the main body of their findings.

"This is a clear case of selective reporting of results, leading to false claims that there is no difference between children raised by heterosexual couples and homosexual couples," said Peter Stokes.

Other researchers, such as Patricia Morgan, author of Children as Trophies, have previously exposed flaws in the methodology of the studies.

"The VLRC chose to use the biased and flawed pro-homosexual research despite the clear evidence from most social researchers that children do best when raised by their biological mother and father. Children never have this opportunity when same-sex couples use IVF to have children," said Mr Stokes.

One of the VLRC research papers was written by Ruth McNair, the leader of the Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby's Fertility Rights Access Group. She used the same pro-homosexual studies to suggest that there was 'no difference' if children were raised by homosexuals.

"We call on the VLRC and the Victorian government to review the decisions they have made to allow IVF and surrogacy for same-sex couples, based on this new evidence," said Peter Stokes.

Peter Stokes
Executive Director - Salt Shakers
Phone: 03 9800 2855 Mobile: 0413 084 145

References:
Dr Hansen's Review

Summary of Review