The Australian Sex Party has released its 2016 Federal election video and, as usual, it’s provocative. Set to the tune of Willy Wonka’s Candy Man, the ‘Vatican Can’ clearly has the Catholic Church in its sights. Why would anyone want to target the Catholic Church, or any religious organisation, that does such great charitable work as feeding the poor, caring for the sick, and giving people meaning and solace in this world of suffering? Dr Francesca Collins, Australian Sex Party candidate for the Senate in Tasmania, explains …
Politically, religious organisations wield a great deal of power. In Australia, they are the main obstacle to legislating for dying with dignity and marriage equality; two basic human rights issues with huge popular support. And religious schools and hospitals receive government funding, yet are free to discriminate on the basis of religion.
Hate groups like the Australian Christian Lobby, who recently compared acceptance of LGBTIQ+ people to the holocaust, pay no tax because they “promote religion”. Allegedly this is a public good.
Demonising young people who are at a much higher risk of suicide than their peers, is not what the Australian Sex Party considers ‘public good’.
Institutions such as the Catholic Church, which have systematically protected child-rapists, have set up their assets to protect themselves from having to compensate child sexual abuse victims. Did I mention that this institution is tax-exempt?
Absolutely, genuine charitable work should be tax-exempt, but simply declaring that you’re ‘promoting religion’ is not good enough.
As usual, the Australian Sex Party is starting the conversation that Australians need have. We were the first political party to call for a Royal Commission into institutional child sexual abuse and we’re the first party to call out religious institutions on tax evasion.
Why have the major parties been silent on this? Why are the major parties happy to allow ‘promoting religion’ to be the claim that exempts organisations not only from tax, but from accountability? Why are our political leaders speaking at ACL conferences?
The Australian Sex Party is not beholden to conservative backers, and is free to confront these small, but powerful groups. Let’s put an end to the secrecy and unaccountability of religious organisations.
Let’s put an end to groups like the ACL and the Vatican wielding undeserved political clout.
This election, you can vote for a party that is not afraid to confront religious privilege. This election, you can vote for the Australian Sex Party.
Watch the ad HERE:
EARLIER on Tasmanian Times …
