"NATIONAL CHARTER"
Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile
group)
(refer national statement of rules and organisation)
Rev Hon. Fred
Nile MLC - Founder, National & NSW President
Revised
NATIONAL and NSW Office:
STATUS OF THIS DOCUMENT KNOWN AS
“NATIONAL CHARTER”
LEGAL
STATUS OF “NATIONAL CHARTER” - It is
intended that the "National Charter" and everything related to or
implied within it, or any agreement or transaction
entered into on the basis of the "National Charter" shall not give
rise to any Legal relationship or any consequence which will be legally
enforceable or be the subject of litigation.
All arrangements, agreements and transactions are binding on the basis
of the trust only. (James 5:12)
1.
THE NAME - the original
organisational name: “Call to Australia
Citizens’ Movement” with the party name "Call to Australia (Fred Nile) Group"
registered with both the Federal and State Electoral Commissioners as required
by law was changed following lengthy discussions and a new look name was
adopted from 1 September 1997: “Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile group)”.
2.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES - in a
general sense the purpose for which the organisation exists has not been
changed, but continues to be:
a)
to advance the glory of God
through the institution of Parliament and through all aspects of Federal and
State and Local Government, to advance
b)
to promote the true welfare
of the people of Australia through all legislation being brought into
conformity with the revealed will of God in the Holy Bible with a special
emphasis on the MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION (2 Cor.5:18);
c)
to support & promote
recognition of our Christian heritage by uplifting the Judeo/Christian ethic,
with pro-family, pro-child, pro-moral, pro-life, and pro-Australian policies;
d)
to endorse, nominate and
support the election of Christian Candidates into Local, State and Federal
Government; especially in the Upper Houses of Parliament, and in the
Legislative Assembly of the Australian Capital Territory and the Legislative
Assembly of the Northern Territory; and
e)
to uphold our Christian Constitutional Monarchy and Christian Westminster
System of Government through the policies of CDP as a Christian Democratic
Political Movement, respecting the sovereignty of
In accordance with Jeremiah 51:27 we seek to "Set up a standard in
the Land, blow the trumpet among the nations", and to fulfil our Lord's
command in the Gospel of Matthew
3.
STATEMENT OF BELIEF
a)
GOD: We believe there is one creator
God, eternal, manifested as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe in the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
b)
THE BIBLE: We believe the Holy Bible
to be the inspired, inerrant, written Word of God and the final authority above
all man's laws and government.
c)
CIVIL GOVERNMENT: We believe civil government
to be under the authority of God. (Romans
13:4).
d)
THREE GOD-ORDAINED INSTITUTIONS:
We believe that God has ordained three Institutions - 1. the family; 2. the church; 3. the civil
government; each with their own special responsibilities, duties and authority.
i)
THE FAMILY: We believe that the family,
consisting of those individuals related by blood or marriage, is the
foundational social unit of the nation. The
family has primary responsibility for the education and property of its members. Civil government must respect this sanctity
of the family and its unique sphere of authority and it must preserve and
promote optimum conditions in which the integrity of the family unit can be
maintained.
(A)
MARRIAGE: We believe that the Lord
Jesus Christ himself taught that in the beginning God created mankind - male
and female, and meant husband and wife to live together honourably in a
lasting, loving, lifelong, faithful relationship. Marriage is a sacred relationship which God
ordained for mankind so that the human race might be continued through the
procreation of children, to be brought up in fear and nurture of the Lord; and
for the mutual help, comfort and companionship both in prosperity and
adversity.
(B)
RIGHT TO LIFE: We believe that God is the
author of life and that human life originates at conception. Abortion and euthanasia must be opposed under
all circumstances as the shedding of innocent blood.
(C)
GOD'S GIFT OF SEX: We
believe that God has established laws of sexual morality for the well-being of
society prohibiting pornography, adultery, incest, homosexuality, and other
sexual aberrations which debase man, as well as defile and pollute our nation.
(D)
PARENTS’ RIGHTS: We believe that parents
(not the civil government) have the primary responsibility before God for child
rearing and the education of their children according to the dictates of their
conscience with the sole ability to choose what kind of education they want for
their children.
ii)
THE CHURCH: We believe that the Church
is a God ordained body of believers charged to proclaim God's truth and to set
an example both inwardly and outwardly of Godly living before the world. It has no authority to use physical coercion,
but only to challenge man's conscience to do what is right.
iii)
GOVERNMENT: Civil government is a
God-ordained institution with authority to deal only with the outward deeds of
people. Both Church and State are unique
in their responsibilities before God: neither may seek to usurp the other's
role, but neither can be free of the other's influence. We believe the purpose of civil government is
to ensure freedom and justice for a nation's citizens by establishing and
upholding law and order in accordance with Biblical principles.
(A)
BIBLICAL ETHICS: We believe that
decision-making processes by civil government must not contravene Biblical
ethics concerning the family, marriage, morality, etc.
(B)
LAW AND ORDER: We believe that it is every
citizen's duty to submit to the God-ordained governing authority. The primary responsibility of civil
government is to protect the lives of a nation's citizens and to ensure that
those who violate law and order receive just punishment. Crime should never carry with it a reward,
and therefore the Biblical principle of restitution and compensation to victims
of crime should be enforced.
(C)
TAXATION: We believe that there
should be 'no taxation without representation' at every level of government. We believe that the civil government exists
to serve the people, not the people the civil government, and that people are
therefore obliged to sustain civil government through just taxation. We believe that as Jesus Christ taught "Render to Caesar what is due to Caesar and
render to God what is due to God".
(Matthew 22:21)
(D)
FREEDOM: We believe that the
national civil government should build up and maintain an adequate military
preparedness to protect the nation's unique identity and sovereignty from
external attack or internal subversion.
(E)
FREE ENTERPRISE: We believe that the
Biblical principles concerning economics should be consistently upheld and
respected by civil government, including honest weights and measures and
avoidance of currency debasement. We
further uphold the principle of responsible free enterprise, meaning maximum
freedom to develop one's talents matched with responsibility before God in
dealing with our fellow man.
4.
DEFINITIONS
a)
The Christian Democratic Party: The
Christian Democratic Party is a political coalition of Christian citizens,
churches, and action groups which are united in their desire to build a better
b)
THE GLORY OF GOD: To advance the Glory of God
we need to know the will of God. God has
revealed His Will in the written word of God the Holy Bible and through the
Living Word of God - the Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore by studying the Word of God under the guidance of the Holy
Spirit we can discern the Will of God; for example the Apostle Paul wrote: "All scripture is given by inspiration
of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly
furnished into all good works". (II
Tim 3:16-17).
c)
TRUE WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE: We
believe that "In the beginning God
created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). We believe that "God created man in His own image, in the image of God created he
him; male and female created he them." (Genesis 1:27). Firstly, as God created us He knows what is for
our true welfare. Therefore we need know
the ways of God and so study His Word. Secondly,
as God created the first family, Adam and Eve, and showed His loving care
through the family of Jesus, we believe the family is the God-given basic unit
of society and is entitled to the protection and support of the Government and
society. Therefore all policies,
especially moral, social and economic policies, need to be assessed as to how
they will finally affect the family unit.
d)
GUIDING PRINCIPLES: Our
Christian Democratic Party Policies are summed up by these two Guiding
Principles:
i)
"For God and the
Family". Eph 5:22-6:4
ii)
"For Justice and
Decency". Amos 5:12-15,24
e)
The Crown, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, is crowned a
Christian Queen, by the Archbishop, and is presented with a Bible during her
coronation ceremony.
In addition, the majority of Australians (over 70%) claim to be
Christians in the Census; over 80% believe in God and believe the 10
Commandments should be taught in our schools as a basis of morality.
Our Australian flag is also made up of Christian crosses - the Southern
Cross, and the Cross of St. Patrick,
Cross of St. Andrew
and the Cross of St. George.
f)
CHURCH & STATE: The
separation of the structure of the organised Church and the State in
g)
FREEDOM OF RELIGION:
As Christian citizens we have the responsibility to do all we can within
the law to promote Christian principles, ethics and faith as the most effective
basis of Australian Law and society. We
must also uphold and defend the Christian basis that already exists.
h)
FOUNDATIONAL POLICY PRINCIPLES:
i)
To protect and strengthen
family life on the basis of marriage and to ensure that taxation and other
economic policies do not place unnecessary or unfair burdens on families or
individuals.
ii)
To ensure families have
autonomy, independence and strength to be able to protect their own children
from all forms of exploitation and emotional, physical and social abuse.
iii)
To ensure that every person,
from conception to old age, enjoys the right to life within a caring society which protects all people from abortion, murder and euthanasia.
iv)
To promote the
Judeo-Christian Ethic as taught in the Holy Bible as the foundation for our
laws, education and culture.
v)
To encourage a healthy
society by promoting chaste living and by discouraging prostitution,
promiscuity, sexual perversions and the abuse of alcohol and other drugs.
vi)
To ensure the moral standards
of the mass media, including television, videos, computer games, films, radio,
and printed media do not degrade our nation, that is, to eliminate excessive
violence, indecency, obscenity, blasphemy, etc.
vii)
To seek excellence in education
in both Government and non-Government schools and to protect the parents’ right
to choose the school that best suits their child's needs.
viii)
To support economic policies
that foster a stable mixed economy, both private and public, with low inflation
and high employment, especially for young people, as well as genuine
co-operation between employers and employees in an atmosphere which seeks to
minimise the need to strike.
ix)
As a free and independent
democratic nation to uphold our Federal and State Christian-based Constitutions
our Christian-based constitutional monarchy and our Australian flag.
x)
To strengthen our
relationships with those countries with which we share a common heritage and/or
with those countries which demonstrate a commitment to freedom and the
Judeo-Christian ethic as expressed in this charter.
i)
FAMILY IMPACT ANALYSIS: We would test every Government plan, budget,
policy or Bill by this basic FAMILY IMPACT ANALYSIS. (Refer our Christian Democratic Party Bill
“Family Impact Commission Bill”).
i)
Does this proposal reduce
family per capita "take home" pay after tax? (If yes, it should be
reconsidered.)
ii)
Does this policy reinforce
the stability of the home and particularly the marital commitment that holds
the home together? (If yes, then it should be retained).
iii)
Does this Bill strengthen or
erode the authority of the home and specifically the rights of the parents in
the education, nurture and supervision of their children? (If it erodes, then
it should be reconsidered).
iv)
Does it help the family
perform its functions? (If it helps the family, then it should be retained).
v)
What message does this
programme send to the public concerning the status of the family? (If negative,
then it should be reconsidered).
vi)
What message does it send to
children and young people concerning their behaviour, their personal
responsibility, and the norms of our society? (If negative, then it should be
reconsidered).
vii)
Can this government activity
be carried out by a lower level of government eg. state or local
government or the family? Can it be performed by voluntary, private and/or
Church institutions rather than government departments? (If yes, then transfer
the function).
viii)
Family impact analysis must
always keep a fair and just balance between the needs of families and the needs
of others.
j)
TEN GUIDING FAMILY PRINCIPLES:
i)
All welfare policies must
stress the integrity and preservation of the family unit. The family should be the prime provider or
channel of welfare. Family household tax
or welfare supplements should recognise this, taking into account the number of
people in the family, including members of the extended family.
ii)
All programmes must respect
family values and foster right behaviour.
iii)
The government should not
facilitate or endorse any sort of sexual behaviour except that of normal
husband-wife relationships. Marriage
should have preferential treatment relative to other types of relationships.
iv)
Parents should be held
responsible at law to provide for their children regardless of divorce,
re-marriage, separation or casual conception.
v)
Housing assistance should be
replaced by housing vouchers.
vi)
Programmes should be expanded
to help families purchase public housing.
vii)
Mortgage interest on the
family home should be tax deductible.
viii)
School should consider that
they are acting on behalf of the parents in the education process.
ix)
Curriculum materials should
not undermine family values but should reinforce the principles and ideals most
parents strive to impart to their children.
x)
There should be progressive
reduction in taxation for families with child dependants and no tax
"marriage penalty".