"Australians have always viewed America’s litigious culture with suspicion. Our “no worries mate” approach to life means we tend not to rush off to court at the drop of a hat.
So last week when a state government commissioner ruled that the nation’s Catholic bishops may have broken the law in distributing their booklet “Don’t Mess with Marriage” eyebrows were raised.
The use of the law to persecute same-sex marriage objectors like florists and wedding cake makers is something that, in the minds of most Australians, happens “only in America.”
Despite opinion polls showing strong support for same-sex marriage, very few in Australia have seriously believed change will affect anyone else.
The bishops’ booklet was distributed nationwide but in Tasmania, the archbishop of Hobart, Julian Porteous, sent it home in a sealed envelope to parents of children enrolled in Catholic schools.
At the time, public debate was running hot on the issue of same-sex marriage and Porteous wanted to provide guidance to his flock on the church’s teaching.
It is an inoffensive booklet, written in the style of a pastoral letter and very respectful of same-sex attracted people.
Incensed, the leader of Australia’s gay marriage political movement, Rodney Croome, said the bishops had turned children into “couriers of prejudice.” He urged people to complain to the Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination commissioner, Robin Banks.
The Anti-Discrimination commissioner is a state government appointee with a taxpayer-funded office to oversee anti-discrimination legislation, conduct conciliation meetings and recommend cases to go to court.
In response to Croome’s urging, a transgendered male-to-female candidate for the extreme left wing Australian Greens political party, Martine Delany, lodged a complaint.
Commissioner Banks ruled on Friday that not just Porteous, but the entire Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference, has a case to answer.
They have 21 days to respond and it is highly like the matter will proceed to a court-style tribunal and ultimately on to the Tasmanian Supreme Court.
Failure to comply with a tribunal ruling could lead to hefty fines.
Because this is in effect a test case for anti-discrimination law, the matter could even go all the way to the High Court in Canberra."
http://dailysignal.com/2015/11/19/in-australia-catholic-bishops-face-court-action-huge-fines-over-traditional-views-on-marriage/
