by Madeleine Collins

Anglican Church leaders have defended Prime Minister John Howard’s criticism of new ACT laws allowing homosexual couples to adopt children, claiming society’s emphasis on the rights of the individual has gone too far.
In an interview on 2UE last month Mr Howard labelled the new ACT’s Bill of Rights law ‘ridiculous’ saying he was against gay adoption and gay marriage and that children should be brought up by a mother and father who are married.
“I’m a social conservative. I think there are certain benchmark institutions and arrangements in our society you don’t muck around with, and children should be brought up ideally by a mother and father who are married,” Mr Howard told 2UE.
He criticised the present State governments for being ‘big on rights’ but not on responsibility.
“Sadly, we can’t expect the States to exercise Christian morality,” claimed the Bishop of South Sydney, Robert Forsyth, who said he supports Mr Howard’s view. “At the same time I remain deeply convinced that the proper and best situation for a child is with parents of both sexes. Adopt[ing] a child is not a human right. I find it bizarre that a small territory government is trying to do this.”
But Bishop George Browning of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn says the problem is society’s over-emphasis on individualism.
“I’ve been a vocal opponent of the Bill of Rights on the grounds that we need to have a balance between human rights and responsibility,” Bishop Browning said.
“Western society has gone too far in the direction of individual rights. I think people with a religious faith understand that more than the general community.”
He added that the ACT community has been ‘apathetic’ in debating the gay adoptions issue.
The laws, which were passed under the Parentage Act, due to take effect this month, will give gay couples the same entitlements as heterosexual couples. Same-sex adoptions are allowed in Western Australia and Tasmania but are banned in the Northern Territory, Queensland, Victoria and NSW.
Bishop Browning also warned that Mr Howard’s comments could set a precedent for unwanted commonwealth interference in state and territory concerns.
“Should the Prime Minister exercise a view? Of course he should,” he said. “Whether he should go the next step and interfere in the activities of the territories and states … it sets a precedent ... [for] the next time around.”
A spokesperson for Anglicare Diocese of Sydney, the only non-government agency authorised to adopt children in NSW, says it recognises legislation banning gay adoptions. He said as a Diocesan organisation it also upholds the Bible’s teaching on marriage and human sexuality.
Very few children are adopted in the ACT each year.
The Executive Chairman of the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL), Jim Wallace, told The Australian that the federal Parliament should use its power to override the same sex adoption legislation.
Mr Howard has written to the ACT government expressing concerns about the law and saying it may conflict with the federal Marriage Act, the newspaper said.