Victoria is a step closer to banning gay conversion therapy – including prayer-based practices to change LGBTI people – after 55 MPs voted in favour of the bill this week, while the opposition were not present.
Premier Daniel Andrews described the Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Bill as life-changing, however he has been accused of “over-reach” and the bill is viewed by church groups as a threat to religious freedom.
A statement by Archbishop Makarios on Tuesday expressed “grave disquiet” concerning the bill which criminalises gay conversion practices.
“While the Orthodox Church extends its loving embrace around all, in an effort to protect the vulnerable from coercion, the proposed Bill appears to extend too far towards the opposite extreme, specifically and without properly defining its parametres, criminalising prayer for one another, which is at the heart of Orthodox spirituality,” he said.
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Furthermore, Archbishop Makarios is critical of the “ambiguous and vague manner” in which practices are defined in the bill “since they could be taken to include pastoral care, counselling and spiritual advice provided within the Mystery of Confession.”
The bill, which includes prison for up to 10 years or hefty fines for anyone caught trying to suppress or change someone’s sexuality, has not only caused friction between the church and Victoria’s Labor government but also internal party tensions in Michael O’Brien’s Liberal Party for Mr O’Brien’s failure to take a swift position.
Despite controversy, the Bill has been passed and will now go to Council.
Archbishop Makarios’ full statement
