Malcolm Turnbull: Ready to Rewrite Australian Families

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Malcolm Turnbull: Ready to Rewrite Australian Families

Australia’s new political leader has his eyes set on redefining the Australian family.

One month into his term as Australia’s new prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull is already mapping out where he intends to lead the nation. While much of the infighting within the government will likely continue unabated, we can expect to see radical changes brought to the foreground by the left-leaning lawyer-turned-politician.

One area where change is already noticeable is on the issue of same-sex “marriage.” As prime minister, Turnbull is making it clear that the controversial subject is not going to be shelved any longer.

While promising to maintain his predecessor’s stance of holding a plebiscite vote after the 2016 election, pro-marriage-equality advocates are hopeful Turnbull will streamline the process.

Getting the Ball Rolling

Government backbencher Warren Entsch, who proposed a same-sex “marriage” bill earlier this year, is hopeful that Turnbull will soon state what the phrasing of the question will be, as well as the date of the vote. Setting an official date would effectively lock-in the chief details of the public vote and make it impossible for conservatives and those opposing same-sex unions to kick the issue down the road any longer.

The phrasing of the question will also be very controversial. For example, if they were to ask: “Should same-sex ‘marriage’ be allowed?” or “Should marriage remain between a man and a woman?” a completely different national vote could result.

Why a Plebiscite?

The choice of a plebiscite vote is another interesting decision. Many same-sex “marriage” supporters hoped Turnbull would overturn the plebiscite and have a conscience vote in Parliament instead. But such a radical change in policy could further threaten any last vestiges of stability within the Liberal Party. The government, unwilling to take that risk, has chosen to stick with the plebiscite. But why not choose a referendum and alter the Constitution itself?

Turnbull has his reasons. Just like a plebiscite, a referendum requires the population to vote. However, not only does a referendum need a majority vote from the nation as a whole, but it also needs a majority of the states. In other words, four of the six states would need to say “Yes.” The plebiscite merely requires the national majority.

So getting a “Yes” is much more likely with a plebiscite, since Turnbull won’t need state majorities. Less populous states like Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory won’t pose a threat, even if the majority opposes same-sex “marriage.” The importance will be on the overall majority of votes. That puts the odds in Turnbull’s favor with large swathes of the population in Sydney and Melbourne—Australia’s largest cities—being either pro same-sex “marriage” or left-leaning in their moral standards.

While a plebiscite is more of a large opinion poll, Turnbull won’t rule out creating legislation that would bind Liberals and Nationals to the majority vote.

A Driving Force

Looking at Turnbull’s history, we can expect more proactive steps toward same-sex “marriage” as the months go on. He is, after all, pro marriage equality.

Back in 2008, Turnbull ruffled feathers in the Australian Christian Lobby (acl). As a guest speaker at the group’s national conference, he told the audience there should be no discrimination against same-sex couples. The acl is one of the most powerful and vocal Christian lobby groups in Australia. Facing the glares of the acl, Turnbull stated that no lobbying or discrimination could make a same-sex couple go out and marry someone of the opposite gender. In other words, if you can’t beat them, allow them.

In a May 25 abc News report, Turnbull said, “If you think about, say, the British Commonwealth, if you think of the old Commonwealth, the Dominions, they are all now supporting same-sex marriage. Australia I suppose is the odd one out or is the one that has not yet turned its mind in a parliamentary sense to reviewing the law.”

Well times have certainly changed in the past few months. Now Turnbull finds himself in a position where he can begin to turn more parliamentary attention to the subject of same-sex “marriage.”

It certainly seems as though the days of the God-ordained marriage between an Australian man and woman are numbered.

How Is This Possible?

There is one final thought to add to the controversial subject of marriage rights in Australia. Where is the support for change coming from? More often than not these days, the answer is: everywhere.

According to Galaxy Research, from 2009-2012, 64 percent of Australians support marriage equality. Of all Australian Christians, 53 percent—including Turnbull—support it. And the next generation of moral leaders in Australia? Of those 18-24 years of age, 81 percent support it.

And here are more figures pulled from the Australian Marriage Equality website:

  • A smh/Nielsen poll from December 2011 reported that 81 percent of Australians wanted the coalition to have a conscience vote on the subject. Sixty-two percent of Australians supported marriage equality.
  • A Roy Morgan poll from August 2011 said 68 percent of Australians supported marriage equality.
  • According to polls from last year, support for same-sex “marriage” in Australia is now higher than it was in any other country in the Commonwealth at the time the government of that country passed marriage equality laws.
  • The sad truth is that Australia is going the way of its fellow Commonwealth nations. It is well beyond the “shoulder-shrug.” Many endorse and flaunt homosexuality. Entire suburbs are known as “gay communities.” Sydney’s Mardi Gras is renown for its flamboyant advocacy of homosexuality. People literally revel in the moment as they destroy the God-ordained institution of marriage between a man and a woman.

    And Australia cannot continue down this path without suffering the effects.

    As managing editor of the Philadelphia Trumpet Joel Hilliker writes in his booklet Redefining Family, “Until a few generations ago, the concept of marriage and family was taken for granted—generally accepted as desirable—as the basic means of rearing responsible children and producing a stable society.”

    In a country that has had five prime ministers in five years and suffers from the scourges of homegrown terrorism, a crippling drug epidemic, a burgeoning housing bubble, skyrocketing cost of living, and spiraling dollar value, couldn’t we do with some stability?

    That isn’t to say these problems are brought on by the destruction of the family alone, but a stable family is the foundation of a civilization. The Australian family is under great attack from the highest echelons of the government. And all the while, the foundation is crumbling. God prophesied that we in this end time would become sinful as Sodom (Jeremiah 23:14). The Prophet Isaiah called the leaders of the West “ye rulers of Sodom” and the population “ye rulers of Gomorrah” (Isaiah 1:10). Isaiah goes on to speak of how such men reward evil to themselves. That is what we are seeing in the West today.

    But despite the trends we see endorsed by Turnbull and his ilk, there is good news to come. As Joel Hilliker shows in his conclusion of Redefining Family (order a FREE copy here):

    “We can be thankful to God that His supernatural intervention in the affairs of mankind, as prophesied in hundreds of biblical passages, is now just ahead of us. In the not-too-distant future, the world-ruling Family of God will vigorously teach all of mankind the perfection, the beauty, the blessing, the majesty and the vision wrapped up within the sacred institutions of marriage and family.”