Category: Jewish

Media Release: Aleph Melbourne Voters Guide for Marriage Equality

ALEPH MELBOURNE MEDIA RELEASE
2016 VOTERS GUIDE FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN JEWISH MELBOURNE
June 21 2016

Aleph Melbourne proudly announces its 2016 Voters Guide for Marriage Equality in Jewish Melbourne.

Following on from the successful 2013 edition, this voters guide is an essential resource for the savvy voter who is keen on prioritising equality for same-sex attracted, intersex and gender diverse people.

The guide covers the electorates of Goldstein, Higgins, Hotham, Kooyong, Melbourne Ports and Menzies.  These electorates are selected as they span the suburbs where Melbourne’s Jewish community are predominantly located.

Individual candidates’ positions are provided where known along with links to party and social media profiles.

A list of supportive senate candidates will be added in coming days.

A range of resources are provided in the guide to allow further research into the key issues around achieving equality and organisations that are working to help achieve it.

View the guide here: http://aleph.org.au/2016/06/11/2016-voters-guide-to-marriage-equality-in-jewish-melbourne

CONTACT: Michael Barnett | michael@aleph.org.au | 0417-595-541

2016 Voters Guide to Marriage Equality in Jewish Melbourne

This guide is aimed to assist voters living in the main Jewish neighbourhoods in Melbourne best select candidates who have comprehensively demonstrated or pledged their full support for marriage equality.

Levels of support for “same-sex marriage” listed for each electorate in this guide are taken from the “News Ltd 2010 Same-Sex Marriage Poll”.  The raw data is available in the resources section below.

MPs re-contesting their seats have an * after their name.

Feedback, corrections and updates are invited via the form below.  Information is provided here in good faith and on the understanding that it is correct.

This page is optimised for viewing on a full-screen browser.

Candidates & Electorates

Goldstein

2010 levels of support for “same-sex marriage” in electorate:

  • For: 50% | Against: 28% | Don’t Care: 22%

Candidates who will support marriage equality based on their party or personal position:

Candidates who personally support marriage equality but are denied a free vote by their party:

  • Tim WILSON (Liberal) (web site | facebook[2]) 

Candidates who will oppose marriage equality based on their party or personal position:

Higgins

2010 levels of support for “same-sex marriage” in electorate:

  • For: 57% | Against: 27% | Don’t Care: 17%

Candidates who will support marriage equality based on their party or personal position:

Candidates who personally support marriage equality but are denied a free vote by their party:

Hotham

2010 levels of support for “same-sex marriage” in electorate:

  • For: 44% | Against: 32% | Don’t Care: 24%

Candidates who will support marriage equality based on their party or personal position:

Candidates who do not have a declared position on marriage equality but are denied a free vote by their party:

  • George HUA (Liberal) (web site | facebook)
    ** Note: this candidate has refused to advise if they would support marriage equality.

Candidates who will oppose marriage equality based on their party or personal position:

Kooyong

2010 levels of support for “same-sex marriage” in electorate:

  • For: 54% | Against: 29% | Don’t Care: 18%

Candidates who will support marriage equality based on their party or personal position:

Candidates who personally support marriage equality but are denied a free vote by their party:

  • Josh FRYDENBERG* (Liberal) (web site | facebook[12]) ✡

Melbourne Ports

2010 levels of support for “same-sex marriage” in electorate:

  • For: 61% | Against: 20% | Don’t Care: 19%

Candidates who will support marriage equality based on their party or personal position:

  • Michael DANBY* (ALP) (web site | facebook[9]) ✡
  • Steph HODGINS-MAY (The Greens) (web site | facebook[5])
  • Peter HOLLAND (Independent) (web site | facebook[6])
  • Levi MCKENZIE-KIRKBRIGHT (Drug Law Reform) (web site | email)
  • Robert Millen SMYTH (AJP) (web site)
  • Henry VON DOUSSA (Marriage Equality) (party web site | facebook)

Candidates who personally support marriage equality but are denied a free vote by their party:

Candidates who will oppose marriage equality based on their party or personal position:

  • John B MYERS (Independent) (facebook)

Menzies

2010 levels of support for “same-sex marriage” in electorate:

  • For: 39% | Against: 41% | Don’t Care: 19%

Candidates who will support marriage equality based on their party or personal position:

Candidates who do not have a declared their position on marriage equality but belong to a party that is broadly supportive of progressive and/or evidence-based reform:

Candidates who will oppose marriage equality based on their party or personal position:

✡ Candidate has declared a Jewish identity
Candidate has declared a Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender or Intersex identity

Parties

Parties that support marriage equality in their policy platform and require their candidates to vote accordingly:

Parties that support marriage equality in their policy platform but allow their candidates to vote on their conscience:

Parties that don’t currently have a position on marriage equality but are broadly supportive of equality and progressive and/or evidence-based reform:

Parties that are actively obstructing the prompt passage of marriage equality:

Independent candidates may vote for or against marriage equality as they choose.

Resources





    STALE Facebook links

    1. https://www.facebook.com/AJPNarenChellappah
    2. https://www.facebook.com/TimWilsonForGoldstein
    3. https://www.facebook.com/greens.jason
    4. https://www.facebook.com/AJPHiggins
    5. https://www.facebook.com/stephforports
    6. https://www.facebook.com/peterforthepalais
    7. https://www.facebook.com/AdamRundellALP
    8. https://www.facebook.com/TonyHulbertAJP
    9. https://www.facebook.com/michael.danby.39
    10. https://www.facebook.com/PeterVassiliou
    11. https://www.facebook.com/HalEnnnnn
    12. https://www.facebook.com/JoshFrydenbergMP

    Jewish LGBTI Youth! – Jews All Diverse & Equal | Minus18

    At the JCCV Plenum tonight, the Hon Robin Scott, Minister for Multicultural Affairs launched a 8.5 min video developed by the JCCV young LGBTI advisory group, which aims to highlight that you can be Jewish and LGBTI. The aim is for a fully welcoming and respectful Jewish community, where Jews of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity participate actively in the community. Everyone is to be treated with respect, dignity and equity.

    Bialik Principal issues statement on school’s support for marriage equality

    Following on from the announcement of Bialik College becoming the first school in Australia to declare support for marriage equality, the school’s principal Jeremy Stowe-Lindner has issued the following statement on their Facebook page:

    Bialik College is proud to join Monash University, Swinburne and over 800 other organisations, in confirming our support…

    Posted by Bialik College on Wednesday, 17 February 2016

    Biggest ever Jewish contingent at Pride March 2016

    Melbourne’s Jewish Community came out in force on Sunday January 31 2016 to participate in the annual Pride March in St Kilda.  The largest contingent to date, this year saw community stalwarts Aleph Melbourne and the Jewish Lesbian Group of Victoria joined by a strong presence from youth groups Habonim Dror, SKIF, Netzer and Hashomer Hatzair.  Members of AUJS and the Jewish Community Council of Victoria also marched in solidarity.

    From 20160131 Pride March

    Pride March celebrates the rich diversity of Melbourne’s LGBTIQ community.  Aleph Melbourne has participated every year since 1997.  The significant presence of Jewish youth groups in Pride March over the past three years shows that increasingly, young people are passionate about equality, inclusion, respect and social justice.

    JCCV Statement on Moshe Feiglin Visit

    JCCV Statement on Moshe Feiglin Visit

    12 October 2015

    Jennifer Huppert, President of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) stated,

    “Moshe Feiglin has expressed extremist views in the past regarding women, sexual orientation and political issues which are inconsistent with the values and policies of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV).  These sorts of views are not representative of the Victorian Jewish community.  They are damaging to social inclusion and social cohesion in our community, and we strongly condemn these divisive and corrosive statements.

    In particular, the JCCV is opposed to any homophobia, biphobia or transphobia by whomever or whoever expresses it. It has no place in our community. Everyone of any sexual orientation or gender identity should be respected and be given equal opportunity to participate in and contribute to the community.”

    MR: Aleph Melbourne expresses alarm at Melbourne visit by Moshe Feiglin

    MEDIA RELEASE
    October 9 2015

    ALEPH MELBOURNE EXPRESSES ALARM AT MELBOURNE VISIT BY MOSHE FEIGLIN

     

    The imminent visit by Moshe Feiglin to Melbourne has raised alarm by many organisations within the Melbourne Jewish community.  Aleph Melbourne is signatory to a collective statement from these organisations.

    Despite claiming to support “human rights” for LGBTIQ people, Moshe Feiglin opposes full societal inclusion and equality of LGBTIQ people, as reported in the Jerusalem Post in 2013:

    Feiglin said. “When you’re trying to change the value system, that pushes me into the closet!” Families, he stated, are the foundation stone of society and the nation, and he said he would not do anything to harm what he called the “classic” family structure of one man, one woman and their children.

    Aleph convenor Michael Barnett said: “Any Holocaust denier or anti-Semite would be hounded out of town by the Jewish Community Council of Victoria and the Anti-Defamation Commission, yet despite these organisations calling for respect for LGBTIQ people, they have remained silent on this visit from a person who does not respect LGBTIQ people.  That is unacceptable.  This man represents intolerance and intolerance is unacceptable to a cohesive and safe community.”

    Aleph Melbourne calls on the Jewish Community Council of Victoria and the Anti-Defamation Commission to express their extreme disappointment at the Jewish organisations that are hosting Moshe Feiglin during his visit to Melbourne, in addition to their outrage at his visit.

    ENDS

    Contact Michael Barnett for further comment on 0417-595-541

    Media Release: Aleph Melbourne disappointed in unsatisfactory resignation letter of Rabbi Zvi Telsner

    MEDIA RELEASE
    SEPTEMBER 2 2015

    ALEPH MELBOURNE DISAPPOINTED IN UNSATISFACTORY RESIGNATION LETTER OF RABBI ZVI TELSNER

     

    Aleph Melbourne acknowledges the overdue resignation of senior rabbi Zvi Telsner from the Yeshiva Centre in Melbourne but is disappointed with the unsatisfactory letter written in his name.

    Whilst his resignation letter claims remorse for his actions, his apology falls short of addressing his claims that homosexual people can be cured of what he believes is an ailment.

    To demonstrate genuine remorse for his harmful words Zvi Telsner must undertake secular education on homosexuality and strongly distance himself from any notion that homosexuality can either be cured or is abnormal.

    As a senior religious leader in his community his authority combined with his ongoing intolerance of homosexuality will feed into the self-destructive outcomes that same-sex attracted people experience due to intolerance of their sexuality.

    Homosexuality has not been considered an illness by mental health professionals for over 40 years and is now affirmed as a normal expression of human sexuality.  For any person to consider it curable demonstrates gross ignorance.

    Victims of child sexual abuse who experience same-sex attraction will benefit by seeking support for their abuse from accredited mental health professionals, whilst avoiding any form of sexual orientation change efforts, such as reparative therapy.

    The Australian Psychological Society and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists can provide referrals to suitably qualified practitioners.

    Contact Michael Barnett on 0417-595-541 for further comment.

    ENDS

    Letter from Rabbi Zvi Telsner:

    י”ז אלול תשע”ה
    1st September, 2015

    Dear Yeshivah Community Members, Friends and Supporters,

    As a senior Rabbi at the Yeshivah Centre I acknowledge and endorse its values, policies and message of continued support and compassion for victims of Child Sexual Abuse, their families and all of the community. Elul is a time to reflect on ones values and behaviours as we prepare to herald in the New Year.

    I recognise that my conduct towards victims and their families did not demonstrate these values or behaviour to the extent necessary of a Rabbi in my position. Accordingly, I have decided to stand down from my position as Rabbi at the Yeshivah Centre, effective immediately.

    We all must be aware of how our words and actions impact on others and therefore would like to take this opportunity to apologise for my conduct and urge everyone to show compassion and support towards victims and their families throughout the moised and broader community.

    I wish the community all the best for a Ksiva Vechasima Tova, and a year full of blessings.

    Yours Sincerely,
    Rabbi Z. Telsner