Media Releases
Women must be protected from unfair trans competition.
18th March, 2022.
Family First upper house candidate Deepa Mathew will, if elected on Saturday, introduce a bill that would protect women’s sport from unfair competition from trans athletes in South Australia.
Ms Mathew said women’s sport had to be protected from the risk of prosecution for “discrimination”.
“Sport is meaningless without fair competition, which is why we have separate categories for people with disabilities, for children, for men, and for women,” said Ms Mathew.
“However, sporting clubs and teams are facing a far-from-level playing field, with trans athletes disrupting many women’s sports. Action is needed to protect women’s sports from this lopsided competition.”
Ms Mathew said Family First’s Bill would be based on the objectives of the Sex Discrimination and Other Legislation Amendment (Save Women’s Sport) Bill 2022, introduced by Federal Senator Claire Chandler last year, which makes clear that single-sex sport for women is lawful, encouraged and supported.
Ms Mathew said that the Australia’s Sex Discrimination Act 1984 has always acknowledged that gender was relevant in sport, but given this term was now open to wide interpretation, it has led to more and more sports being unable to offer single-sex women’s options.
“Sports clubs and associations, even individual volunteers, face the risk of legal action if they are branded as ‘excluding’ trans athletes, who were born males, from women’s sport,” said Ms Mathew.
“We challenge both major parties to pledge to restore fairness to women’s sporting endeavours here in South Australia, and recognise the long-understood reality that categorisation by gender is critical to fair competition.”
Ms Mathew said that it was important to acknowledge that, if safeguards were passed into law, trans people would not be banned from playing sport.
“Participation options for everyone is to be encouraged. But women’s sports should be permitted to limit their sports to women born female, to ensure fairness.”
ENDS
For more information and interviews, please contact Deepa Mathew on 0430220412
Family First Launches into final week of campaign.
14th March, 2022.
Who: Family First upper house candidates Tom Kenyon and Deepa Matthew, and a large group of Family First lower house candidates, family and supporters.
What: Launch into final week of campaign.
Where: Light’s Vision, Montefiore Hill, North Adelaide.
When: 10.15am-10.45am, Monday 14 March.
Family First’s leading candidates and supporters will gather this morning to launch into the final
week of the campaign, amid rising momentum for the family values party.
Upper house candidate Tom Kenyon said the relaunch of Family First last year was in response to a groundswell of demand for an alternative to the major parties – demand that has only grown across the state during the campaign.
“Anecdotally our support is strong on the ground, which is what we thought we would see.
Clearly many South Australians are looking for a common-sense alternative, with a clear idea
about right and wrong on many social issues,” said Mr Kenyon.
“Family First has the largest number of candidates of any minor party, besides the Greens. With a full ticket in the upper house and 35 lower house candidates, we are giving South Australian’s a real alternative.”
“Family First is a party of believers, and we believe South Australians are ready to vote for
common sense on issues of freedom of religion, family, pandemic management and and life issues.”
“The past four years have opened many people’s eyes about the true nature of the Marshall
Government, from Covid-19 pandemic management decisions, to euthanasia to abortion.
“And the Opposition represents an untested return to the long Labor years. Family First puts South Australian families first, and are pushing hard through to the finish line of the campaign this week.”
ENDS
Contact: Tom Kenyon 0439 977 221
Family First Will Legislate a Debt Ceiling.
10th March, 2022.
Family First promises to legislate a state debt ceiling, as government debt spirals and interest rates are set to rise.
Upper House candidate Tom Kenyon said a legislated debt ceiling would return discipline to the state budget, following years of overspending by both major parties.
“The Liberals and Labor both have terrible records on deficit spending – underlined by this Government’s record since coming to office,” said Mr Kenyon.
“South Australia’s debt is expected to quadruple from 2018 and 2024, reaching an eye-watering $25 billion. With interest rates expected to rise in the near future, South Australia’s debt is clearly running out of control.
“Family First will ensure our children won’t be paying the bills of today’s governments for decades to come.”
Drawing on figures from the 2021/22 state budget papers, Mr Kenyon said that by 2024, state debt will equal state revenue, with interest costs expected at just under $1 billion per year.
“As every family knows, debt must be kept under tight control, otherwise compounding interest quickly becomes a heavy burden and prevents you from meeting your goals.”
SA budget history tells a sobering story.
Debt went from practically zero before the GFC to $6.7 billion in 2013-14, peaking at around $7 billion in 2013-14 before declining to $5.3 billion in 2017-18.
“The major parties have failed to protect the budget and so, if elected, Family First will be putting a legislated limit on state debt.”
Family First proposes:
• The debt ceiling to be 50 per cent of state revenues – which we have already exceeded. • Further borrowing should be prevented until debt is under that limit. • Changing the debt ceiling will require a two-thirds majority of each house of parliament.
“It’s time for a return to some semblance of fiscal responsibility. Neither major party is talking about a return to surplus and both parties seem to think ‘good economic management’ means spending money we don’t have,” said Mr Kenyon.
“Now is the time to get the budget into surplus and start paying back debt – not taking on more.”
ENDS
Contact: Tom Kenyon 0439 977 221
Family First: Keep government thought police out of our homes, Mr Malinauskas.
7th March, 2022.
Family First has challenged Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas to rule out, if elected Premier, introducing laws that would criminalise how parents raise their children in relation to gender and sexuality.
Family First upper house candidate Tom Kenyon said Mr Malinauskas led a party “obsessed with identity politics and the culture wars” and it was critical he rule out, before the election, laws that intruded on the sacred bond between children and parents.
“Labor in Victoria is responsible for some of the most serious infringements on the freedom of parents to raise their children according to their faith traditions and values, even risking criminal prosecution.”
“Parents in Victoria risk jail advising a child just to defer potentially irreversible gender transitioning treatments.”
“And in 2020 in South Australia, Labor frontbencher Nat Cook floated a similar Bill that would have created an 8-year prison sentence offence for anyone advising their children against sexual practices seen as incompatible with most faith traditions.”
Family First stands for the rights of parents to raise their children according to their own values, and Mr Kenyon’s call reflected deep concerns held by many South Australian voters, who have watched in recent years extreme social policies passed by South Australia’s parliament, opening the way to euthanasia and abortion-to-birth.
“SA Labor represent a real risk that these extreme social programs gain momentum”.
“South Australia deserves more than four years at the mercy of the fads and fancies of Labor’s Left faction.”
“As a former parliamentary member of the Labor Party in this state, I know the power the Left has over policy direction.”
“Mr Malinauskas must rule out this corrosive policy proposal now.”
ENDS
Contact: Tom Kenyon 0439 977 221c
Great news for police, now for teachers: Family First.
4th March, 2022.
Family First today renewed its call to end Covid-19 mandates on South Australian government employees and Christian School teachers, following South Australian Police (SAPOL) ending mandate imposed on SAPOL employees.
On Tuesday Family First upper house candidate Tom Kenyon called on Premier Steven Marshall to end to SA Government mandates across health, fire-fighters and education workforces, including Christian schools, calling the mandates counter-productive policies that undermined ‘informed consent’ and religious freedom.
“We applaud today’s move by SAPOL – which is showing the way forward for the SA Government. It is well past time for Steven Marshall to wind up this flawed policy,” said Mr Kenyon.
“Estimates of the number of employees who have lost their jobs range from hundreds to thousands, dangerously reducing the capacity of key government services, from health, to paramedics to fire-fighters and teachers.”
Mr Kenyon said it was ‘hypocritical’ for Mr Marshall to impose mandates on thousands of state government employees – but not Members of Parliament.
“It is hypocritical for the Premier to impose these draconian mandates on state government employees and teachers, forcing many into poverty, while allowing himself, his ministers and all MPs to go about their business free to make their own choices on vaccination.”
Family First stands for religious freedom and freedom of conscience, at a time of increasing restrictions on faith communities and the organisations they serve, such as schools, hospitals and aged care homes.
Mr Kenyon, who is vaccinated, has promised as his first action if elected, to introduce a Religious Freedom Bill that would include an exemption from Covid-19 mandates based on religious or conscientious objections.
“It is time for the Marshall Government to withdraw its cruel vaccine mandate system, and reinstate informed consent for South Australians,” said Mr Kenyon.
Mr Kenyon said vaccine mandates were being wound-up in other western countries.
“We have seen the withdrawal of mandates in the UK and states and provinces in North America, amid mounting objections by those who wish to make their own personal health decisions.”
“It is time for Mr Marshall to ‘see the light’, and end mandates today.” ENDS
Contact: Tom Kenyon 0439 977 221
Family First Calls Out Liberals for 'misinformation' on Family First preferences.
4th March, 2022.
Family First upper house candidate Tom Kenyon has called out Premier Steven Marshall for Liberals “desperately pushing misinformation” about Family First preference recommendations.
Today Family First’s full set How-to-Vote cards are being released and will be available on the Family First Website later today. The values-based party will preference against both major parties in key marginal seats, putting independents that share its broad pro-family approach above Liberal and Labor.
“Family First has been told of Liberal operatives desperately backgrounding church groups and other voters across Adelaide, with fake news about our preferencing strategy,” said Tom.
“Steven Marshall needs to be called out for these dirty tricks, which voters can easily see through”
“Family First has a transparent and consistent approach, recommending voters avoid preferencing MPs who voted in favour of abortion-to-birth, in the controversial Bill that passed last year, with the support of Premier Marshall and former deputy Premier Vickie Chapman.”
“For people of faith, there has to be a line in the sand. We have to hold MPs to account for how they voted.”
The published tickets today confirm that Family First is treating both major parties consistently across marginal races in Adelaide, recommending avoiding preferencing the sitting Labor MPs in Mawson and Wright and sitting Liberal MPs in King and Newland.
“Steven Marshall only has himself to blame, for the problems he and former deputy Premier Vickie Chapman have brought on their party. Regardless of who forms the next government, Family First pledges to keep them focused on the best interests of families.”
Tom Kenyon will be available for interview outside Steven Marshall’s Dunstan Electorate office at 2.30pm today
Contact: Tom Kenyon 0439 977 221
ENDS
Premier Marshall must end COVID-19 vaccine mandates now.
1st March, 2022.
Family First upper house candidate Tom Kenyon has called on Premier Steven Marshall to end state government Covid-19 vaccine mandates, to ease the burden on health and first-responder work forces.
And he called-out the Marshall Government for hypocritically failing to impose a vaccine mandate on itself and all parliamentarians.
“It is hypocritical for the Premier to impose these draconian mandates on state government employees, forcing many into poverty, while allowing himself, his ministers and all MPs to go about their business free to make their own choices on vaccination.”
Mr Kenyon said mandates had become counter-productive, due to the rising numbers of state government employees forced out of their jobs for refusing the jabs.
“It is time for the Marshall Government to withdraw its cruel vaccine mandate system, and reinstate informed consent for South Australians,” said Mr Kenyon.
“I am vaccinated and so is my family, but mandates are doing more damage than good, leading to significant job losses among our most critical work forces, across health, paramedics, fire- fighters and police.”
Last week Family First promised to introduce a Religious Freedom Bill containing a conscience exemption from Covid-19 vaccine mandates, for people of faith.
He said vaccine mandates were being wound-up in other western countries.
“We are now seeing the withdrawal of mandates in the UK and states and provinces in North America, amid mounting objections by those who wish to make their own personal health decisions.”
“It is time for Premier Marshall to ‘see the light’ and end his harmful mandate system.”
Mr Kenyon made it clear that he encouraged South Australians to get vaccinated, to ensure as high a vaccination rate as possible, but said making it compulsory was counterproductive and “un-Australian”.
“Vaccination is a major weapon against Covid-19 and other serious illnesses, but if the Government can’t convince people to be vaccinated voluntarily, then that is their failure, not South Australians’.”
Family First stands for religious freedom and freedom of conscience, at a time of increasing restrictions on faith communities and the organisations they serve, such as schools, hospitals and aged care homes.
ENDS
Contact: Tom Kenyon 0439 977 221
Family First to move on Religious Freedom.
15th February, 2022.
Family First will immediately launch Religious Freedom legislation once elected at the March state election, following the Liberal Party’s botched attempt to pass a flawed Bill in Federal Parliament last week.
Tom Kenyon, Family First’s lead candidate for the Legislative Council, said “South Australians of faith must have their religious freedoms safeguarded as a matter of urgency. They cannot rely on the Liberal Party, which is hopelessly divided on common sense issues of conscience and religious freedom.”
“Neither can Labor be trusted, following its betrayal of undertakings to support religious freedom, in Canberra last week.”
“The failure of both major parties to support religious freedom was a stark reminder that Christians, and all men and women of faith, must take direct action to safeguard their rights.”
“Voting for Family First at the state election in March is direct action that will make a difference.”
“A Religious Freedom Bill will be the first move I take as a Family First MLC.” “And we will go further than the failed attempt by the Liberals.”
“The rights of religious organisations to practise their religion freely, and employ staff that hold the same values, need to be protected. The bill will not seek to change current protections to students from discrimination.”
Mr Kenyon pointed to the heavy toll taken on many South Australian Christians, who have declined to take Covid-19 vaccines on religious grounds.
“Children are watching as parents of faith lose their jobs across the state, because of extreme Covid-19 mandates.
“People of good will can have different views on whether to take the vaccine – personally I am vaccinated and so is my family. But when governments punish good people because of their faith-based decision not to be vaccinated, then action must be taken,” Tom said.
“Under Family First’s Religious Freedom Bill, South Australians of faith will be able to use an exemption based on their conscience. This common sense measure will alleviate the suffering of many South Australians who are being punished for their religious beliefs, by Covid-19 mandates.”
Family First was relaunched as a political party last year. Its Legislative Council candidates are Tom Kenyon – former state Labor minister and Deepa Mathew, an experienced banking executive and mother who has stood for election for the Liberal Party.
While both have backgrounds in the major political parties, they were galvanized to take direct action on faith-based issues last year, following the passage of pro-abortion and pro-euthanasia measures in the South Australian Parliament, championed by senior members of the Marshall Liberal Government, and supported by many senior Labor MPs.
Contact: Tom Kenyon 0439 977 221