Bill Shorten To Confront Christian Lobby Over same-Sex Marriage

Bill Shorten will confront the Christian Lobby on today by declaring his support for same-sex marriage and blended families while also extending the hand of friendship to the religious organisation.

In his first speech to the influential and at times controversial group, Mr Shorten will discuss the values that guide him in life and in politics, which are underpinned by his faith.
Acting director of Australian Marriage Equality Ivan Hinton-Teoh (left) and Mikael Svensson, general manager of the Hyatt Hotel, Canberra.

And in a forthright speech to the group at Canberra's Hyatt Hotel, Mr Shorten will say that he has spent his working life trying to  show empathy and compassion and "answer the Christian call to care for the vulnerable, to speak up for the voiceless, to reject hatred and intolerance, to help the poor and to pursue peace".

No faith has a monopoly on compassion, Mr Shorten says, and no religion "owns" tolerance or charity or love according to extracts from the speech.

"Australia is full of decent and generous people of good conscience, drawn from all faiths and none. And no faith, no religion, no set of beliefs should ever be used as an instrument of division or exclusion."

What is this world really turning into????