Christianity stirs debate in Queensland Parliament

Press, 25 October 1984, Page 12

Christianity stirs debate in Queensland Parliament

NZPA-AP Brisbane Australia was getting back to the days when Christians were fed to the lions, said Queensland’s Leader of the Opposition, Mr Neville Warburton, as he backed away from a Labour attack on the Premier, Sir Joh BjelkePetersen. Mr Warburton said outside Parliament that he did not support the onslaught led by an Opposition frontbencher, Mr Bob Gibbs, in the state Parliament. Mr Gibbs, the member for Wolston, was responding to the Premier’s statement that Australians who considered themselves- Christians should vote the HaWke Government out of office on December 1. As some late arrivals took their seats on Sir Joh’s side of the House, Mr Gibbs shouted, “Look at all the atheists, missing morning prayers.”

As Ministers tabled departmental business, Mr Gibbs called, “They are only Sunday Christians.” To the Minister of Transport, Mr Don Lane, he said, “Old Nick will get you in the end." . At a press conference the day before, Sir Joh said, “We want people in Canberra who honour God, and not atheists who won’t even take their oath of office on the Bible.” Sir Joh said he was staggered that any churchgoer could vote Labour. “They are reneging on their own principles if they do,” he said.

Mr Warburton said, that it was no wonder there were so many atheists and agnostics about “if the Queensland Premier is any example of Christian virtue.” “I do not believe in using religion as a political football, and a lot more people feel the same way. That is the only comment I have to make.” Mr Gibbs kept up his attack on Sir Joh as the latter made a 20-minute Ministerial statement to point out what he saw as the moral shortcomings of the Federal Government.