Bishops attack Greens

The Catholic Church had entered into the political fray at the eleventh hour, issuing a letter to parishioners urging them not to give their vote to The Greens on Saturday. The letter came from Archbishop Cardinal George Pell and was signed by nine other NSW Bishops, including Lismore’s Geoffrey Jarrett, and sent to all Catholic parishes and schools in NSW.

The letter is headlined ‘The Green Agenda’ and says “some specific Greens policies give rise to grave concern” and goes on to expresses the Church’s concerns at: religious freedom, school funding, drug use, gay marriage, abortion and euthanasia.

Not surprisingly local Greens candidates are not happy with the Church’s letter and are quick to point out inaccuracies within it.

“It’s certainly a fear campaign and it’s inappropriate,” Lismore Greens candidate Sue Stock said. “The bishops certainly have a right to express their opinion but their message is a throw-back to Archbishop Mannix’s interventions in national politics in the 1954 and 1958 elections. Many Catholics may see through the ideological conservatism of these bishops and choose to make up their own minds on these issues. I think there should be a separation between church and state.”

She said the Greens would definitely not slash funding to Catholic schools by 85%, and that their policy on drugs recognises that “legal and illegal drugs have adverse health, social and economic effects... People who are addicted or dependent on dangerous drugs need treatment and rehabilitation, not gaol.”

Byron Mayor and Greens MLC candidate Jan Barham said she was also disturbed by the misinformation within the letter.

“Unfortunately people may be swayed by the letter rather than looking at our policies,” she said. “There are some people (within the party) who are very much aligned with Christian ideals of compassion and caring for people... This (letter) doesn’t sit well with open debate on real issues and real policies.”

Ms Barham said a lot of religious people come to The Greens for their policies on the environment.

“There is an essential Christian belief that nature is God’s greatest gift and they support us on the basis of our policies on protecting the environment. And in the ongoing refugee debate, I have had a lot of contact with Christians who support our caring response to the plight of refugees.

“I expect some people have concerns about euthanasia, but a lot of Christians see that issue of reducing suffering as a very Christian thing to do. So it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. People can respect Green values and have their own interpretation of what the Christian values are.”

In a statement from Bishop Jarrett, he said their intention was not to tell anyone how to vote.

“Our job as pastors and teachers is to alert our people in regard to any proposed policy of any party which we see as not in accord with Christian teaching or the values held by the Church and her members. The bishops have a responsibility to alert people to issues which raise serious concerns for the protection of human rights and human dignity,” he said. “The Greens promote some important issues, such as protecting the environment, and Catholics share the concern that more needs to be done in this area. Thirty years of traversing the skylines of the Tasmanian south-west wilderness and exploring its rivers and hidden lakes made me almost as green as Bob Brown... But The Greens have long since lost their innocence. Their policies on euthanasia, abortion, same-sex marriage and school funding show them on the dark side when it comes to a healthy and human environment.”