Home > Beliefs Survey > SA House of Assembly Election 2006
List of Candidates for Croydon (SA)
= previously sitting member
Ballot PositionCandidatePartyQ1Q2Q3Q4Q5Q6Q7Q8Q9Q10Total
1BELTRAME, TeresaGreens 111111111110
2PINE, KerrinAustralian Democrats 57327322101051
3WHITEHOUSE, BrionyLiberal Party 111111111110
4ATKINSON, MickAustralian Labor Party 101010107102510175

FamilyVoice survey scoring rewards openness and honesty. Failure to acknowledge the survey scores zero. A response to the survey is scored separately for each question: full agreement (Yes Definitely) scores 10, Probably = 7, Unsure = 5, Unlikely = 3, total opposition (Definitely Not) = 2, and No Comment = 1. The total score for all 10 questions thus ranges from 0 to 100.

Questionnaire

Candidates were asked to indicate how they would vote or did vote on these issues by answering the questions. If they are bound by party policy on a particular question, they were asked to provide an answer in accordance with that policy.

1. Prayers in parliament
The tradition of Christian prayer in parliament is part of our Australian heritage - reminding MPs, like all other people, that they are imperfect and need guidance. This tradition reflects Australia's Christian culture expressed through such things as the large majority of Australians identifying with the Christian faith and the celebration by Australians of the Christian festivals of Christmas and Easter.
Do you support the retention of Christian prayers in parliament?

2. Abortion counselling
Surveys of women seeking post-abortion grief counselling indicate that most were not adequately informed of the risks or alternative options before their pregnancy was terminated. A trial at the Adelaide Women's and Children's hospital found that 25% of women seeking abortions chose other options after counselling and /or a cooling off period (Sunday Mail, 25/7/04, p 12).
Would you support legislation requiring that women seeking an abortion be given full information about the development of the unborn child, the risks of abortion including breast cancer and alternatives to abortion including adoption?

3. Prostitution
Prostitution problems - including drug abuse, street and child prostitution - have escalated in Victoria and NSW following legalisation or decriminalisation. Largely for this reason, SA and Tasmanian parliaments have rejected moves to legalise and legitimise the prostitution trade. Police spokesmen say SA laws need strengthening to curb procuring of young people, prostitution-related advertising and flouting of laws by pimps & brothel owners.
Would you vote for a bill to empower police to enforce existing prostitution laws and to implement enforceable bans on prostitution-related advertising and recruiting people into the prostitution trade?

4. Euthanasia
The SA Consent to Medical Treatment and Palliative Care Act affirms the right of patients to die with dignity by having unwanted medical treatment withdrawn and adequate pain relief - but not lethal injections where the primary intention is to end life. Better education, for doctors and the public, about palliative care and the right to discontinue burdensome treatment is needed to address considerable misunderstanding about these issues.
Would you vote to retain laws which allow doctors to control the pain and distress of suffering patients but prohibit intentional killing such as by lethal injection?

5. Pornography and violence
There are over 4 million pornography websites on the Internet - 100,000 sites show child porn. Children in SA public libraries have been observed viewing internet pornography, undetected by library staff. Viewing pornographic and violent images does long term damage to children, making them more sexually aggressive and accepting of sexual abuse. A Newspoll survey found 93% of Australian parents support mandatory filtering of pornographic, violent and terrorist websites.
Would you support legislation to require public libraries in South Australia to install filtering software on computers accessible by the public in order to block children?s access to pornographic, violent and other harmful sites?

6. Status of marriage
Overwhelming research evidence (documented, for example in the federal parliamentary report To have and to hold, June 1998) shows that children develop best with a mother and a father committed to each other and to their child(ren). Marriage has been the way society recognised and applauded such commitment. However modern anti-discrimination laws make it an offence to favour marriage over cohabitation and children are the losers.
Would you support legislation to allow married couples to be preferred for child care roles, such as in the selection of adoptive or foster parents, and for access to assisted reproductive technology?

7. Homosexual relationships
Homosexual relationships should not attract benefits given to married couples. Such entitlements are provided primarily for the benefit of their children and to affirm marriage as the best environment for raising children. Children cannot result naturally from homosexual relationships and homosexuals should not be helped to produce children artificially, because studies have shown that children raised in homosexual relationships are more at risk.
Would you oppose any move that would have the effect of giving legal recognition to homosexual relationships, for example by granting benefits or entitlements?

8. Illegal drugs
Australia has the highest per capita use of illegal drugs in the world. SA is experiencing a mental health crisis, triggered by the vast increase in those addicted to marijuana and amphetamines, whose risk of becoming mentally ill is 3-11 times greater than those who do not use drugs. Teen cannabis users can damage their brains irreversibly. The 'harm minimisation' policies of the past have failed - they sustain drug users in their habit. SA should adopt Sweden's successful harm prevention policies which include mandatory treatment for addicts.
Would you support the replacement of the current 'harm minimisation' policy on illegal drugs with rigorous enforcement of a 'harm prevention' policy including mandatory treatment for addicts?

9. Poker machines
Since poker machines were introduced to SA in 1994, hotels and the government have grown richer but small businesses have been failing and the number of problem gamblers and destitute families has multiplied. Surveys show most South Australians opposed the introduction of pokies and now favour their gradual removal. The so-called 'cap' on numbers has not been effective in solving gambling problems, which continue to grow progressively worse.
Would you support legislation to phase out poker machines in SA over a ten year period?

10. Legislative Council
The SA Legislative Council protects our freedoms by providing a check on the power of any government, since the government always controls the lower house. The lack of an upper house in Queensland has contributed to the continuing problem with corruption in whichever party wins government. Reducing the size of the SA upper house and halving the term of office could diminish the check on government power and lead to short term thinking.
Would you vote against any move to abolish or diminish the South Australian upper house?