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Monday February 13, 2012

What we're talking about

  • Troy on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' I have seen this family fighting day after day for months trying to get their kids/siblings back home. The dedication and ... more
  • Pauline on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' DHS have destroyed my own family. They failed in their duty of care to provide a baby moniter for the deaf , thousands of ... more
  • Christine on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' isn't it funny how DHS don't recognise the psychological effects of domestic violence on children and continue to allow ... more
  • Warrior princess on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' There is a family In the Cairns Area who are Foster Carers.Atherton Child Safety have threatened the carers and own ... more
  • duncan on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' i have spent time with this family. it is a house full of love. "mum", grandfather and older sblings.this cannot be an issue ... more
  • Tracey on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Family Law is different from the rest of the law in this country.. Ie. Family Law is based on probability: ie if it might ... more
  • carol annetta on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' having known this family for some time i am disgusted with the treatment she has received. it seems more of a witch hunt ... more
  • Maureen Hillary on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Derryn,I have counselled traumatized parents as a result of DHS staff.There are great staff workers who care but they ... more
  • Janet Tavener on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' I am a visitor to this country.My attention was drawn to the case of these children and their foster mother by a relative of ... more
  • sam on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Happening in Tasmania also.Wewon a court case over 8 months ago and due process still hasn't been done.We spent 17,000 ... more
  • Anne Glover on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' I just cannot believe what the DHS has put the Foster Mother, and the children through - I thought the DHS was supposed to ... more
  • Tracey on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' DHS are the most disgraceful organization I have ever had the displeasure of becoming involved with. They are so ... more
  • Vicki on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Hi Derryn,I have known this carer since primary school, she has always put others above herself. Being a carer myself I know ... more
  • Gran'ma Pam on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' As any of us with any sense know, these children should NEVER have been taken from this lady (mum) in the first place, they ... more
  • Dominic Lombardo on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' I see my daughter every six months DHS are conducting a vendetta against me I have not been told why I can only see her ... more
  • cassy houghton on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Hello Derryn,Firstly i would like to thankyou for your support and the willingness to help this beautiful family.I ... more
  • Warrior princess on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Im a carer also in Qld. I see this happen way too much from our Government. They are starting to use Carers own children as ... more
  • paul on "I'll pay the fee," says Hinch I believe what Liberal Party has done is stupid. But I feel for candidates like Joh Bauch and James Buonopane who want to ... more
  • Andrea on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Why are these public servants allowed to blatantly flout the law without the same consequences the rest of society faces? I ... more
  • birth mother on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' i am the birth morther of these 4 children and i just want to say dhs dont care they just want the kids in care so they can ... more

Athiest Hinch on athiest Gillard

Posted by: Derryn Hinch | 29 June, 2010 - 6:45 PM
Julia Gilard

O my god! The new prime minister is a non-believer.

And to make things worse Julia Gillard is not going to pretend that she's a Christian. Not going to pander to religious groups for their vote. Which means we won't see a prime minister conducting TV interviews outside the church after Sunday service.

Her honesty on this issue is refreshing. The PM told ABC radio today 'I'm not going to pretend a faith I don't feel'.

And she says 'For people of faith I think the greatest compliment I could pay to them is to respect their genuinely held beliefs and not to engage in some pretence about mine. I am what I am, and people will judge that'. As an atheist I agree with her.

I would hope that Australian voters are mature enough to vote for or against Gillard on her policies and not her religion or lack of it. The same way she should not be at a disadvantage because she is not married and does not have children.

You would hope the world has come a long way since John Kennedy almost lost the presidency to Richard Nixon because he was a Catholic and his opponents ran a disgraceful smear campaign that a vote for Kennedy would mean America would be controlled by the Vatican.

John Howard and Kevin Rudd were overtly religious and at times pandered to religious groups. I believe they gave undue access to evangelical leaders like Hillsong and Peter Costello endorsed the, at times rabid, Catch the Fire Ministry.

Gillard's opponent in the election, which I suspect will be called by Sunday, is a devout Catholic.

Tony Abbott is a former seminarian. That should not aid him nor harm him when it comes to voters but I believe there have been times when Abbott's religion has affected his politics.

Never was that more obvious when as Health Minister in the Howard government he took it as a personal insult when some of his own colleagues pushed for pregnant women to get access to the RU486 abortion pill.

And even when he was rolled on that he still managed to get taxpayer funding for information clinics which were hardly more than religious and Right to Life propaganda units.

John Howard painted that white picket fence world of God-fearing people and Kevin Rudd was in the same realm with his mantra about 'working families'.

But Australia is a secular country where there should be separation between church and state even though, as many of you will no doubt point out, this country was founded on Christian values.

On this issue I will say to Prime Minister Gillard: Your frankness and honesty is refreshing.

Blog comments Your Say

  • Please Daryn open your mind and find out the difference between religion and Christianity.God hates man made religion read the whole of Matthew 23.The relgious people of the day nailed Jesus to the cross.Christianity is having Faith to Believe.What a lonely death athiests will have and when you think about it we are only here for such a short time.When people are full of pride they think they can do it their way.I do not want a leader who thinks like that.I believe it is God,s way to WAKE CHRISTIANS UP to pray for this GREAT SOUTH LAND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT or HE will give us what we deserve!!!!

    rhonda Sunday 11 July, 2010 - 4:30 PM

  • I feel to correct Doug.
    It really is : Under the Abyss of Gillard. That's just a bit further down.

    Penny Saturday 10 July, 2010 - 11:44 AM

  • You GO GIRL. I SO WANT 2 VOTE4 U! STAND CLEAR OF THE CRAP.

    leakybutterfly Thursday 8 July, 2010 - 7:51 PM

  • What worse can she do?! Honestly! All these previous pollies have done nay so good or totally stuffed us! Really! She says she is from a working class family. Good on her. I believe she will try her hardest to help honest(I wished that was underlined) hard working Aussies to a fairer Australia. ( Even those that have become Aussie citizens).
    To those of you who do not believe in a free democratic civilization, well, you know where to go.

    vanessa marcon Tuesday 6 July, 2010 - 11:56 PM

  • Thou shall love the Queen not God. According to goss from London her name has been inserted in a priviledged list which will honour her as the first female.....of her Majesty. She accordingly needs to be better dressed as well to turn up or she may be taken for a moving bed spread, not popular in the English capital. News travel fast these days.

    Christine Tuesday 6 July, 2010 - 12:08 PM

  • I see. I see. Many questions. No God around. Also many priests demean the very existence of God according to non-believers because atheist are not pedophiles. Shuush.
    Strange, most of the detractors send their kids to christian private schools. Like me. Yes. Public schools? Yuck. Sorry. Something is wrong here. But,... name one Prime Minister including Gillard who never went to private schools and made it to the top. Uhm! Can't think of one. Keep God on side when needed and get rid of him later when not important any more. I play that game too. Good idea.

    SallyK Monday 5 July, 2010 - 5:45 PM

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