The future of marriage in Australia has once again been threatened in our Federal Parliament. Your immediate help is needed.

The Canberra Declaration affirms the present Marriage Act 1961 with its definition of marriage as "the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life".  

THE SITUATION 

18 March - Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young moved a Motion dealing with same-sex marriage and free/conscience voting in the Federal Parliament. It reads that, "the Senate agrees that all members of Parliament and senators should be granted a conscience vote on the issue of equal marriage in Australia." The Motion was agreed to by the House and carried on the voices.

19 March - Liberal Democrat Senator David Leyonhjelm announced that he will seek leave to continue his second reading speech on his Freedom to Marry Bill 2014 on 26 March. He said it is not his intention to bring it to a vote just now as he doesn't think the numbers are there; that this is just the beginning of the debate and the first hurdle is for the Coalition to allow a conscience vote. He said the Liberal Party should use their next party room meeting scheduled for next Tuesday 24 March to discuss the issue.

We know that

• there are some Liberal Party MPs who are in favour of same-sex 'marriage'.  
• under our Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, the Liberal Party have stood their ground and voted as a Party against same-sex 'marriage'.
• any change in this policy "is a matter for the Party Room".
• the recent attempted leadership-spill highlighted instability in the Party Room.

And so the future of marriage in Australia is at stake.  If a conscience vote is allowed by all parties in the House of Representatives, this Bill could soon become law. This would radically re-define marriage and impact our way of life.

ACTION NEEDED

1. Please pray that the Party Room meeting this Tuesday will not allow a conscience vote on this bill. 

Praise God that many have been praying and fasting for the DESTINY of Australia through the  40 Days of Delight. If you are one of these, we thank you and encourage you to keep going strong until Sunday. What happens this week is vital for the future of Australia.   Pray for God's wisdom and favour for Tony Abbott as he exerts leadership in the Liberal Party Room and articulates his stance for marriage as between a man and a woman.   Pray that libertarian Senator Leyonhjelm will see that his Freedom to Marry Bill actually robs the freedom of children to be raised by both a mother and a father.

2. Please write to all Liberal and National MPs and Senators NOW. They need to receive your message in plenty of time before the Party Room meeting at 9.00 am Tuesday morning.

You can email using the excellent Australian Family Association service at www.family.org.au (click on E-mail your politician and follow the prompts).

• Write a clear subject line as this will be the most noted part of your communication e.g. 'Keep Party Policy on Marriage'.  
• Something short and to the point in the email is all that is necessary. Graciously ask them to maintain their party policy on marriage and oppose a conscience vote.

3. Please share this Good News Update with as many of your family, friends and contacts as you can.  

Australian Marriage Forum's new campaign called Think of the Child will help you to engage in discussion with others on this issue as you alert others. In this short YouTube, practising doctor, David van Gend, shares the goal of the campaign as well as their new ad, Marriage Equality? What about equality for kids?

As we together act NOW in response to yet another threat to marriage, "let us fix our eyes on Jesus ... who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame ... Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 12:3).

David Rowsome and Warwick Marsh