Doctors for the Family was established in November 2011 to highlight the health aspects of marriage and family and ensure a healthy future for our children.

We believe that marriage as reflected and proclaimed in the Marriage Act 2004 “…the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life” to be the basis of healthy marriage and family.

We believe that marriage as defined is the basis of a healthy society. We submit that the evidence is clear that children who grow up in a family with a mother and father do better in all parameters than children without.

We believe it is important for the future health of our nation to retain this definition and we oppose moves to alter this definition to include “same-sex marriage”.

We also believe marriage as currently defined is more stable than so-called same-sex “marriage”.

We further submit that legalisation of same-sex marriage will have significant ramifications that have been confirmed by research and events here and elsewhere:

• The further “normalising” of homosexual behaviour through education with all the health consequences of that behaviour for our children;
• Denial of parental option to withdraw their children from that education — a fundamental rejection of the rights of the family;
• Charges of “hate-speech” and vilification, if we voice our belief that every child needs a mother and a father, will gain further legitimacy;
• Likewise freedom of speech and belief regarding the position we believe marriage has in society will be more limited; and
• Further pressure on adoption agencies to approve adoption to same-sex couples and closure of agencies that fail to do that.

We trust that this Senate Inquiry will realise the significance of any distortion of what marriage really is, the continuing benefits of marriage to the Australian community, the place of marriage in history and our culture and we strongly recommend that there be no change to the definition of marriage as presently enshrined in law.

Action:

The battle against same-sex “marriage” is ongoing. If you have not done so already, please email or write to both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition and urge them to maintain the Marriage Act 2004 which defines marriage as “the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.”

Doctors for the Family’s submission (no. 229) to the Senate inquiry into marriage equality. Full references and names of signatories may be found in the original, at: www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate_Committees?url=legcon_ctte/marriage_equality_2012/submissions.htm

Dr Lachlan Dunjey is a Perth GP and convenor of Doctors for the Family: www.doctors4family.com.au