Tony Abbott to speak before anti-gay US lobby group
Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is to fly to the United States to address the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a staunchly anti-gay marriage and anti-abortion, conservative, pro-Christian lobby group. He is expected to speak about the “importance of family”.
Departing for New York tomorrow (Tuesday 26 January) with his wife Margie, the 58-year-old MP has also confirmed his plans to stay in politics ahead of the forthcoming Australian election, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
Abbott is to speak before 150 delegates on Thursday evening at the function, which the Australian reports is to “influence high-level opinion in the UN”.
“The goal of the dinner is to bring together approximately 150 high-level UN-related persons, focused primarily on ambassadors and other high-level diplomats and ministers, to highlight the crucial importance of promoting and protecting the family at the UN,” says the ADF.
“Our overall objective is to inspire and motivate member state representatives, at the highest political levels, to remain staunch defenders of the traditional family, in the face of immense pressure from the UN-system and other member states.’’
Linked to ongoing legal campaigns opposing marriage equality, ADF has aided US states in drafting legislation that has previously passed bans in varying degrees on same-sex marriage, reports Same Same.
The group also provided legal counsel to the Colorado bakery at the heart of a lawsuit who last year refused to bake a wedding back for a same-sex couple.
Under the header ‘Making Marriage Something It’s Not’, the ADF explains on their website that “what happens to marriage dictates what our society will become.”
“The cultural battle over marriage isn’t about two individuals looking to legally establish their love. It’s much bigger than that, and much more is at stake.
“As marriage is redefined, children face a world that is less likely to affirm their need for both a mom and a dad. The focus of marital relationships shifts from selfless love to the desires of the individual. And the religious freedom of those who stand for marriage is threatened.”
It was last August when a special party room meeting of the Coalition, led by then-Prime Minister Abbott, ruled out any chance of a conscience vote among Australian MPs to back marriage equality.
Current Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has promised to conduct a plebiscite vote gay marriage sometime after the next election, anticipated to be around September or October this year.