| Helpful quotes from Canberra Declaration in the lead up to the Federal Elections in 2016.
The Preamble to Australia’s Constitution 1901 says, “Humbly relying on the blessing of Almighty God”. Alfred Deakin, one of the fathers of Australia’s Constitution and Australia’s second Prime Minister, offered the following prayer after the Constitution was finally ratified. “We pray that it may be the means of creating and fostering throughout all Australia a Christ-like citizenship.” Sir Henry Parkes, known as the Father of Federation (1901) had a vision for Australia as “one people with a destiny… As we are British people – we are pre-eminently a Christian people – as our laws, our whole system of jurisprudence, our constitution… are based upon, and interwoven with, our Christian belief…” Sir Henry Parkes, had a dream that “the day will come when justice and fair play will triumph in this land: when great bodies of Christians, who now seem half asleep, will bestir themselves”.
The heartbeat of the Canberra Declaration in regard to marriage and family is clearly heard in the seminal vision statement called The Australia We Live To See. The last paragraph sums it up well, “We live to see an Australia where the family, founded by the marriage of a man and a woman, will once again be protected, honoured and advantaged as the primary focus of the affairs of the nation; where our family relationships will be treasured; where mothers and fathers will be supported in the noble task of raising children; where we use our talents to build a better world as an enduring legacy for our children and grandchildren.” |