The Hon Malcolm Turnbull Prime Minister Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600

Cc: Senator The Hon Stephen Parry President of the Senate Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600

16 February, 2016 Concerns in Relation to a Plebiscite on Marriage

Dear Prime Minister,

We, the undersigned faith leaders, urge you not to proceed with a plebiscite on the issue of allowing same-sex couples to marry.

We believe such a plebiscite would be damaging to faith communities, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community, and the broader community. We believe a plebiscite has the potential to,

. polarise faith communities over a highly politicised moral debate . silence and threaten LGBTI people of faith . discredit the voice of faith communities more generally on public matters . provide a platform for disparaging LGBTI Australians and their families, leading to increased incidences of anxiety, depression and suicide . severely damage relations between LGBTI and faith communities . not resolve the issue because plebiscites offer no binding or agreed outcome

Division Among Faith Communities Polls have demonstrated that opinion on legalising same-sex marriage varies among people of faith. In fact most polls find that a majority favour change. Yet the negative case will be put by religious groups and leaders who claim to speak on behalf of people of faith generally, or religious institutions as a whole. The tensions this poses for faith communities are exacerbated because significant, open dialogue around LGBTI issues is often yet to occur. A volatile, public and politically-charged debate could both distance leaders from lay people, marginalise faith communities from broader society and alienate LGBTI individuals within religious communities. De-stablisation of Religion in Society In a secular society divorce, re-marriage and de facto relationships have long since been recognised in law. Various faith groups disagree theologically with these, but widely support the in-principle separation of law from confessional beliefs. By uniting a confessional doctrine (on marriage) to a specific public policy, a plebiscite threatens to undo the social consensus central to Australia’s secular-religious harmony. This poses the knock-on effect of undermining the wider contribution faith communities can make to other public matters. We also want to avoid any public perception that the resources available to faith communities for important charity and welfare work would be expended instead on a plebiscite campaign. Detrimental Effects on LGBTI Australians All sides disavow causing harm to LGBTI Australians. Nonetheless, there are grave worries about what harms a plebiscite could deliver. Such concerns cannot be put down to exaggerated imagination. High profile proponents of ‘traditional’ marriage have a track record of public statements that have been widely interpreted as disparaging LGBTI people. This includes linking same-sex relationships with odious moral behaviours such as incest and bestiality; with negative health outcomes, such as smoking and sexually transmitted diseases; and with charges that children in same-sex households suffer parental loss and a breach of their human rights. After decades of legalised discrimination, and ongoing social stigma, LGBTI Australians will face an angry, drawn-out debate, one likely to multiply existing disadvantages and stigma. The Uncertainty of a Plebiscite Some law-makers who oppose legalising same-sex marriage have stated that even if a plebiscite result was in favour of change they would not vote accordingly. This highlights that a plebiscite will not be binding and that marriage equality can only be resolved by a vote in parliament. A plebiscite creates serious risks of polarisation within faith communities, societal divisiveness and harm to vulnerable minorities. Yet the process itself lacks consensus and offers no guarantee that it will progress, or finalize, this debate. We ask that, instead of holding a plebiscite, you allow marriage equality to be resolved by a vote in parliament as soon as possible.

Yours Sincerely,

The Undersigned Faith Leaders

Rev'd Jean Shannon

Chaplain, Canberra, ACT

Rev'd Ben Gilmour

Superintendent Minister, Paddington Uniting Church, NSW

Rev’d Dr John Squires

Minister, Wauchope Uniting Church, NSW

Rev’d Robert Clark

Pastor, MCC Good Shepherd, Granville, NSW

The Venerable Rod Bower

Archdeacon, Gosford Anglican Church, NSW Rev’d Greg Smith

Pastor, Metropolitan Community Church, Sydney, NSW

Rev’d Clive H. Norton

Priest, St Basil's Anglican Church, Artarmon, NSW

Rev'd Laurie McIntyre

Minister (Canon Emeritus), Bowen Mountain, NSW

The Venerable Peter MacLeod-Miller

Archdeacon, St Matthew's Anglican Church Albury, NSW

Gregg Heathcote

Shin Buddhist Priest, Newcastle, NSW

Rev’d Bill Crews AM

CEO & Founder Exodos Foundation, NSW

Rev’d Janet Dawson

Minister, Uniting Church NSW

Rev’d Michael Palmer

Rector, St Michael's Anglican Church, Vaucluse, NSW

Rev’d Dr Keith Mascord

Benjamin Oh

Co-convenor, Rainbow Catholics InterAgency for Ministry, NSW

Honorary Curate, Holy Trinity Dulwich Hill, NSW

Father David Smith

Rector, Holy Trinity Dulwich Hill, NSW

Rev’d Graham Long AM

CEO & Pastor, The Wayside Chapel, Sydney, NSW

Rev’d Dr Margaret Mayman

Minister, Pitt Street Uniting Church, NSW

Rev’d Clare Brockett

Minister, Uniting Church, Sydney, NSW

Rev’d Dr Leigh Neighbour

Pastor, Metropolitan Community Church, Brisbane, QLD Rev’d Penelope Jones

Priest St Luke's Toowoomba, QLD

Rev’d Dr Ray Barraclough

Secretary, A Progressive Christian Voice Australia, QLD

Rev’d Susan Pickering

Minister, West End Uniting Church, Brisbane, QLD

Rev’d Dr Noel Preston

Minister, Uniting Church in Australia , QLD

Rev’d Colin Gurteen

Rev'd Canon John Fowler

Minister, Anglican Diocese of Willochra, SA

Minister, Kingston Uniting Church, TAS

Rev’d Damien Stevens

Co-Convenor, Uniting Network, Shepparton, VIC

Rev’d David Connolly

Vicar, St Stephen's Anglican Church, Richmond, VIC

Prof Emeritus Rev’d Gary Bouma

Minister, St John's Anglican Church, East Malvern, VIC

Rev’d Angus McLeay

Minister, Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, VIC

Rev’d Noel Whale

Priest, Holy Trinity Port Melbourne, VIC

Rev’d Matt Glover

Counsellor, Ringwood, VIC

Rev’d Nathan Nettleton

Pastor, South Yarra Community Baptist Church, VIC

Rev’d Peter Weeks

Minister, Craigieburn & Wallan Uniting Church, VIC

Rev’d Dr Paul Tonson

Minister, Uniting Church Minister, VIC Rev’d Dr Avril Hannah-Jones

Minister, Williamstown Uniting Church, VIC

Dr Muriel Porter

Anglican Lay Leader, Diocese of Melbourne, VIC

Father David Moore

Vicar, St John's Anglican Church, Camberwell, VIC

Rev’d Cath McKinney

Minister, University of Divinity, Melbourne, VIC

Canon Dr Colleen O’Reilly

Vicar, St George’s Anglican Church, VIC

Rev’d Michelle Trebilcock

Minister, St John’s Anglican Church, Camberwell, VIC

Rev’d Carolyn Francis

Minister, Collins Street Baptist, VIC

Rev’d Tony Murray-Fiest

Chaplain, Anglican Church Perth, WA