Broadcast on 2CH Sydney, Sunday 25 October 2009
9.00 am – Reformation Day 31 October
We take religious freedom for granted today, but it was not always so. In the 1370s, John Wycliffe suffered intense persecution for his commitment to biblical truth. In 1415, John Hus was burnt at the stake in Prague for the same. On 31 October 1517, Martin Luther risked his life for what he believed, and launched the Protestant Reformation.
Saturday 31 October is Reformation Day. This year the thoughts of many Christians will turn to the proposed human rights act, which ironically threatens religious freedom.
Last week church leaders met with the Federal Attorney-General to voice their concerns, in particular the proposal to give judges the power to shape laws on issues such as abortion and gay marriage, and the freedom to hire people of faith in churches and church agencies.
Religious freedom is a fundamental human right, not a subsidiary right that can be set aside for political gain. I’m Rod Benson for nswchurches.com
12.00 pm – A population explosion for Australia
Treasury head Ken Henry speaks of a “golden age” for Australia lasting to 2050 and beyond, underpinned by a sustained surge of global investment, strong demand in Asia for Australian resources, and population growth of 60 per cent.
That sounds exciting, and strengthens consumer sentiment, but it puts our governments under pressure to show how we can sustain an additional 13 million people.
I’m confident we will find good solutions. We will also face significant social change, and we owe it to future generations to preserve our cherished national values and cultural heritage.
Australia is a great place to raise a family, to do business, and to celebrate the best that Western civilization has to offer. But we will need to embrace sacrifice and a stronger commitment to regional development, housing innovation, public transport, renewable energy, and citizenship education, if Australia is to remain the best country in the world. And who wouldn’t want that? I’m Rod Benson for nswchurches.com
5.00 pm – Push to limit gambling
The Productivity Commission has released a draft report on gambling, noting that Australians spend $18 billion per year on gambling, $12 billion of it on poker machines. There are about 125,000 problem gamblers in Australia, responsible for 40 per cent of the money lost on pokies.
The report recommends restricting bet limits to $1 per button push; helping gamblers to “pre-commit” by setting limits to the time and money they spend; and forcing gaming rooms in hotels and clubs to close earlier and for longer.
State governments depend on problem gambling, taking $4 billion each year in pokies taxes. And then there’s unregulated overseas internet gambling, estimated at $700 million a year – money lost forever.
A ban on poker machines is impractical. But the state government must resist the gaming lobby and reform the industry. Every one of those problem gamblers is a person with a face, a family, and a future. I’m Rod Benson for nswchurches.com
