What's Inside... Politicians give their views on new Church statement on politics and ethics - Page 6
PERTH, WA: January 25, 1996
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Bishop Healy gives his perspective - Page 2 Pope John Paul lists his monthly prayer intentions for 1996 - Page7 Points for judging TV shows for children and adolescents, perhaps even for adults - Page 8
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Voters have ethical duty 'along with PM's' would generate a debate about an oath of office for parliamenCitizens have equal respon- tarians or a succinct code of conunder which elected represibilities with politicians in duct sentatives were held accountbringing honesty and integri- able. ty to public life, and in doing The responses of six WA MP's so may help politicians to live are printed on Page 6 of today's up to their duties, the Record. Australian Catholic Bishops The Australian Catholic Social social justice council has said Justice Council called on those in a newly-released discus- with a talent for public office to sion paper on politics and participate in what it described ethics. as the "noble art" of politics at a The paper, Politicians and time of widespread disillusionCitizens: Roles and Responsibil- ment and cynicism about politiities, sets out five guidelines that cians and their motives. In the wake of former Federal could form a code of conduct for ALP numbers man, Graham politicians: Richardson, admitting to lying LI personal integrity; during his political career and LI listening to the people; the finding of the Easton royal commission, as it was popularly LI making modest election known, that Federal Health promises; Minister Carmen Lawrence had LI avoiding the personal; and lied over the extent of her knowlLI exercising courage and deci- edge of documents tabled in the WA Parliament, the question of siveness. West Australian MPs welcomed ethics in politics is a hot issue, the Australian Catholic Social particularly as the Federal elecJustice Council discussion paper tion is due before May. The West Australian Liberal as a welcome boost to debate on Party is the subject of ethical politics in Australia. ALP member for Nollamara, scrutiny through the alleged John Kobelke, told The Record involvement of Liberal Party society would definitely benefit members in the Wanneroo from a wider community interest Council corruption allegations. and involvement that could ACSJC chairman Bishop Kevin renew and improve politics in Manning launched the 28-page Australia. paper at St John's College in the Liberal member for the Federal University of Sydney last seat of Tangney, Daryl Williams Thesday. Professor John WarhQC, said he hoped the paper urst, a member of the council By Peter Rosengren
and head of the Department of Political Science at the Australian National University in Canberra. wrote the paper, Speaking before the launch. Bishop Manning said that with a Federal election looming, Politicians and Citizens was a call to the Church community and to all Australians to be involved in and aware of the political process. Speaking later on ABC national radio he said one reason why the document had been released close to the election had been to try and rein in the abuses by politicians of the political process that were most likely to emerge at election time. "Lots of evil passions arise round about election time and that's part of the reason why we are launching it now, to try and dampen down some of the nonsense that goes on and the waves of promises and, yes, lies, if you like - and then the absolute forgetfulness of politicians of how they've acted over the last four years," he said. He said the Church had a duty to speak out in regard to religion and moral issues, no matter how unpopular it may be to do so. "The Church has a legitimate role in public policy debate. It has a right and a duty to call attention to the moral and religious dimensions of secular issues, to measure policies against Gospel values, and to speak out on issues involving social justice, human dignity, and
society about politicians and their motives and goes on to address issues of political leadership; the task of representation; the need for participation; and the relationship between the Church and the political sphere. While noting clear problems associated with the conduct of politics in Australia, such as the regular and often harsh denigration of opponents, the document acknowledges that politicians have a difficult task in doing their jobs and achieving what is expected of them by a clearly cynical population.
Bishop Kevin Manning
the common good," he said. "Some politicians may not like the Church speaking out in this way but, as a body of citizens, it has a right to speak out and will not be silenced," he said. He also said Politicians and Citizens was not about particular issues but about the nature of politics. "It is a sympathetic look at the conflicting pressures and constraints on politicians, for example, the rights of the minority versus the will of the majority. This paper supports politicians in the difficult task they have to do," he said. Politicians and Citizens begins with a discussion of the widespread cynicism prevalent in
Politicians were often placed under considerable conflicting pressure by lobby groups and faced dilemmas between issues of conscience and maintaining solidarity with the party-room, it said. On the one hand, politicians were perceived as arrogant individuals who did not listen to their electors and on the other they were criticised for not exercising leadership, the document said. However, it said there was also considerable room for improvement in the conduct of Australian politics at the individual and collective levels, and that part of the solution was for politicians to function more ethically and for their electors to become more educated about both the political system and the issues of the day. Continued on Page 2
Full-on Catholic prayer, fun at youth convention More than two hundred young Seize the Day was the latest in adults in their late teens and a rash of Christian summer schools for youth and young twenties from early around adults - the Anglican summer Western Australia came toschool is being conducted this gether last week at Aquinas weekend and Seize the Day College to participate in the was preceded the week diocesan youth and young adult ministry convention, before by the Disciples of Pastoral Training Jesus Seize the Day. School, also held at Aquinas It was such a success that College. Sister Pam Williamson, a vis- The week-long convention iting Salesian youth ministry largely consisted of a heady worker from Sydney, said she mix of fun and occasions for would like to see others workprayer and discovering the ing in youth ministry in the presence of Jesus in each perEastern States visit in the son's life. future to learn how the West Full report and pictures Australian model operated. - Pages 4 and 5
Fire Rescue Service officer Ian Bransby cools off some heated convention delegates last week