Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home News Australia

Queensland Christian voters contributed to ALP’s poor election result, report finds

byMark Bowling
15 November 2019 - Updated on 1 April 2021
Reading Time: 3 mins read
AA

Christian voice: Prime Minister Scott Morrison and wife Jenny sing during an Easter Sunday service at his Horizon Church. Photo: AAP

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Vote winner: Prime Minister Scott Morrison and wife Jenny sing during an Easter Sunday service at his Horizon Church. Photo: AAP

PROFESSING Christians liked what they saw when, before the last election, Prime Minister Scott Morrison was photographed as the devout believer at prayer, right arm pointing to heaven.

In simple terms, Labor’s election review found that one of the Prime Minister’s strengths was his ability to connect with people of faith – and this helped his Coalition gain ascendancy during a campaign that many thought the ALP was sure to win. 

“Identifying as Christian was associated with a swing against Labor,” noted the ALP election campaign review, chaired by former federal minister Craig Emerson and former South Australian premier Jay Weatherill.

“The most pronounced swings were among devout, first-generation migrant Christians.”

The review found the religious freedom debate sparked by the Israel Folau controversy put Labor leader Bill Shorten on the back foot, while Mr Morrison’s public demonstration of his faith helped him connect with Christians.

“On the whole, people of faith did not desert Labor, but Labor lost some support among Christian voters – particularly devout, first-generation migrant Christians,” the review found.

The review also found the relatively high number of Christian voters in Queensland electorates contributed to the party’s poor showing in the state.

“The groups of voters who swung most strongly against Labor were self-described Christians and economically insecure, low-income voters who do not like or follow politics,” the review said.

“These voters are heavily represented in Queensland.”

The review said Labor’s decision to announce its sexual and reproductive health policy 10 weeks out from the election, which included a pledge to lower the cost of abortions, had affected the party’s standing among some Christian voters.

Related Stories

From a humble start Albanese is sworn in as new prime minister

Political leaders brace for 40 days of campaign battle

Catholic relationship advisers offer five tips to look after your mental health

“(It) enabled conservative groups to target Christian voters in marginal electorates around the country, and in traditionally safe Labor seats in western Sydney,” the review found.

It said the party “would be wise to reconnect with people of faith on social justice issues and emphasise its historic links with mainstream churches”.

The campaign review cited Australian National University professor Ben Phillips, who found areas with a high proportion of Christians swung away from the ALP, while voters with university degrees or earning more than $100,000 swung towards Labor.

It said Mr Shorten’s call for Mr Morrison to condemn Mr Folau’s remarks – that gay people went to hell – left him “defending criticism he was seeking to embarrass Morrison because of his religion”.

Overall, the Labor review found the party’s election campaign did not adapt to Mr Morrison’s challenge of framing the election as a choice between himself and Bill Shorten.

“Bill Shorten’s unpopularity contributed to the election loss,” the review said.

Other factors were considered including that “the large size and targeted nature of Clive Palmer’s campaign had a significant negative effect on Bill Shorten’s popularity and on Labor’s primary vote”, while “the preferences from Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party assisted the Coalition in winning the Queensland marginal seat of Longman and the Tasmanian marginal seat of Braddon”.

The review even has a word or two about politics and environmental responsibility.

“A modern Labor Party cannot neglect human-induced climate change,” the review said.

“To do so would be environmentally irresponsible and a clear electoral liability.

“Labor needs to increase public awareness of the costs of inaction on climate change, respect the role of workers in fossil fuel industries and support job opportunities in emissions-reducing industries while taking the pressure off electricity prices.”

ShareTweet
Previous Post

Brisbane students tell Plenary Council planners what they want for the Church

Next Post

Fr Martin Doyle preached the Word of God with kind-hearted warmth

Mark Bowling

Mark is the joint winner of the Australian Variety Club 2000 Heart Award for his radio news reporting in East Timor, and has also won a Walkley award, Australia’s most-respected journalism award. Mark is the author of ‘Running Amok’ that chronicles his time as a foreign correspondent juggling news deadlines and the demands of being a husband and father. Mark is married with four children.

Related Posts

News

From a humble start Albanese is sworn in as new prime minister

23 May 2022
Political leaders brace for 40 days of campaign battle
News

Political leaders brace for 40 days of campaign battle

11 April 2022
Mental health: Catholic relationship advisers offer five tips on how to keep up your mental health.
QLD

Catholic relationship advisers offer five tips to look after your mental health

12 October 2021
Next Post

Fr Martin Doyle preached the Word of God with kind-hearted warmth

Let’s talk about death

Veteran suicide royal commission unwarranted, former officer says

Popular News

  • Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

    Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Christian Brothers’ community mourn the passing of Brother Tony White

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • All Catholics invited to pray rosary for peace with Pope Francis next Tuesday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Abdallah family launch forgiveness campaign one year on from crash that killed four children

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Vatican

All Catholics invited to pray rosary for peace with Pope Francis next Tuesday

by Staff writers
27 May 2022
0

By Catholic News Agency THE Vatican is inviting Catholics to join Pope Francis in praying the rosary...

Gunmen kidnap two Catholic priests in Nigeria

Gunmen kidnap two Catholic priests in Nigeria

27 May 2022
Ethiopian cardinal brings sense of gratitude to Australia

Ethiopian cardinal brings sense of gratitude to Australia

26 May 2022
Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

26 May 2022
Pope Francis – ‘My heart is broken’ over Texas elementary school shooting

Pope Francis – ‘My heart is broken’ over Texas elementary school shooting

26 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping