Uniting Church in Australia
Northern Synod

Rev. Alistair Macrae, President of the National Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia, has today called on Uniting Church people to consider their vote carefully and prayerfully this Saturday.

Rev. Macrae said “In an election campaign dominated by sound bytes and negative campaigning, I urge Uniting Church people to resist thinking small and instead, think big. This is a time for us to reflect deeply on the kind of Australia we want to be. We need to ask ourselves how the policies outlined by each of the parties and candidates speak to the core social values of the gospel: justice, peace, compassion and hope.

“Our vote is an important expression of what is important to each of us, as we consider our future together as a nation. We may be disappointed with some of the choices on offer or disagree with some of the policies of any one party or candidate, but in choosing who to vote for, we will be making a decision about what we believe are the priority issues for the health of this nation; we will be engaging with a process that brings change and action.

“Reflecting the prophetic tradition which clearly shaped Jesus, the Uniting Church supports policies which improve life for those who are marginalized in our society, like refugees and the homeless. We call on our elected representatives to show a commitment to tackling issues including poverty, the human rights and standard of living of Indigenous people, older Australians, international aid and development, climate change, support for outback and remote communities, education and health.

“This Saturday, I encourage people to use their vote to share a vision of hope – the hope that we together, with God’s help, can build a society of compassion, justice and peace.”

This year, the National Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia has prepared a set of resources for Church members that invite people to consider their vote in the light of Christian values. The resource is entitled “Building an Economy for Life” and is available at http://assembly.uca.org.au/election2010

For media enquiries please contact Amy Goodhew at the Uniting Church National Assembly Communications Unit on 0421 785 488.

‘Building an Economy for Life’ Election Resources are available at http://assembly.uca.org.au/election2010