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CATHOLICS URGED TO USE THEIR VOTES FOR THE COMMON GOOD IN FEDERAL ELECTION
(31/08/1998) Sandie Cornish, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, today urged the Catholic community to use their votes in the 3 October Federal Election for the common good.
'Australians sometimes get a bit complacent or apathetic about politics, but it is a serious Christian duty to take pad in public life. Not only do we have a right to vote, we also have a duty to vote thoughtfully.
'The Australian Catholic Social Justice Council has prepared a brief, simple leaflet aimed at helping people to vote responsibly. It doesn't tell anyone how to vote. It recalls the Church's teaching on the role of governments. It highlights some of the key social justice issues facing Australia in the 3 October Federal election, and it points out some criteria from Catholic Social Teaching by which we can judge the relative merit of different polices. The leaflet also provides some questions that people could raise with all candidates.
'During this Federal election, the ACSJC will be circulating its election leaflet
* widely within the Catholic community encouraging all eligible persons to register to vote encouraging Catholics to take seriously their duty to vote
* encouraging Catholics to reflect seriously on the role of Government and about some of the key social justice issues facing Australia
* pointing out some criteria from Catholic Social Teaching by which to judge the relative merit of the different policies being presented by various parties and individuals.
* encouraging Catholics to interview candidates and find out about their policies
'I would particularly like to encourage young people who are eligible to vote to make sure that they register in good time to be able to have their say in this election', she concluded.
The leaflet, Use Your Vote for the Common Good, is available from the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council 19 MacKenzie Street, North Sydney NSW 2060 Fax: 02 9923 3440 Eraall: admin@acsjc.org.au and may be photocopied for further distribution.
FOUR WAYS TO USE THE LEAFLET:
* use the principles listed for personal or group reflection on the issues facing Australia for
which the Federal Government has responsibility.
* apply the principles in the leaflet to help you compare the different policies of the candidates.
* use the questions in the leaflet to interview candidates and find out about their policies.
* circulate the leaflet to encourage all eligible people to fulil their duty to vote.
MEDIA RELEASE
BISHOP SAYS CAR USE IS A SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUE MEDIA RELEASE
15 OCTOBER 1998
BISHOP SAYS CAR USE IS A SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUE
'The majority of Australians live in cities and transport is the main cause of air pollution in urban areas. The level of traffic and pollution from cars was quite an unpleasant surprise for me when I moved to Parramatta from Armidale! Our big cities are being choked by cars, yet most of us don't think of our car use as a matter of environmental justice. We tend not to think about how our reliance on cars relates to respect for the integrity of God' s creation', said Bishop Manning, Chairman of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council.
'I'm pleased to present a new booklet in our Catholic Social Justice Series called Urban Transport and the Environment. This informative paper written by Dr Paul Mees will help us to reflect on our transport choices and the forces that shape them. It will help us to understand better the environmental consequences of those choices', he continued.
'Both government action and community involvement will be needed to improve the situation. Personal action will be most effective when it takes place in the context of broader policy and planning. I hope that by reading this paper and thinking about the issues individuals and groups will be better equipped to identify starting points for their own action', he concluded.
Dr Paul Mees teaches transport planning in the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning at Melbourne University. In 1997 he worked as a research fellow at the Urban Research Program, ANU. He is president of the Public Transport Users' Association in Melbourne, and was an editor of the revived Catholic Worker newspaper in the late 1980s.
Urban Transport and the Environment is available from the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council for $5 (including postage) and discounts are offered for bulk orders. To place your order contact the ACSJC at 19 MacKenzie Street North Sydney NSW 2060 Tel 02 9956 5811 Fax 02 9923 3440 Email admin@acsjc.org.au |
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