Lyle Shelton (lobbyist)

Lyle Shelton
Personal details
Born Lyle Shelton
1970[1]
South Burnett, Queensland[1]
Political party Australian Conservatives
Occupation Lobbyist

Lyle Shelton is an Australian political activist and prominent social conservative. He served as managing director of the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) from 2013 to 2018.[2] He was one of the leaders of the unsuccessful "No" campaign in the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey. In 2018, he resigned from the ACL to become federal communications director of the Australian Conservatives political party.[3]

Politics

Shelton was at one time the youth pastor on the staff of Toowoomba City Church. He served on Toowoomba City Council from 2000 to 2006. Shelton was the chair of Council’s Strategy and Governance Committee and campaigned against the sex trade in that area.[4] He had an active role in the "No" campaign in the Toowoomba Water Futures referendum, 2006, which his side won.[5]

Shelton retired from the council to contest the 2006 state election, running in the seat of Toowoomba North for the Queensland Nationals. He was unsuccessful.[2]

Australian Christian Lobby

Shelton was managing director of the Australian Christian Lobby from 2013 to 2018, having previously been chief of staff.

He has said that same-sex marriage would affect the needs of children and religious views.[6][7]

Shelton is a member of the Australian Churches Gambling Taskforce. In relation to poker machines, he has said they cause incredible hardship to Australian children and families.[8]

He campaigned against the Safe schools program.[9]

In December 2016 Shelton particiapted in The Cape Town Declaration[10] launched by conservative groups in Cape Town, South Africa, to affirm marriage as between a man and a woman.[11][12]

In the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey, as of mid-September 2017, Shelton was mentioned across news outlets more times than the leading three "Yes" campaigners, Alex Greenwich, Tiernan Brady and Sally Rugg, combined.[13]

Australian Conservatives

In February 2018, Shelton resigned from his ACL position[14] to re-enter party politics, joining Cory Bernardi's Australian Conservatives as federal communications director.[15][16] He is working to counter the Safe Schools Program in Queensland.[1]

Award

In December 2016, Shelton was awarded the World Magazine's 2016 Daniel of the Year because of his role in the same-sex marriage debate in Australia.[17][18]

Controversy

Shelton has drawn controversy for repeatedly referring to children brought up by same-sex couples as a Stolen Generation,[19] for his disappointment in Christians who support same-sex marriage, and for his support for parents who wished to use conversion therapy on LGBT minors.[20]

Shelton has claimed a drag queen show is "pornography".[21][22]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Australian Conservative Lyle Shelton on a mission to stop Safe Schools". 10 February 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Our staff". Archived from the original on 6 December 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  3. ↑ Lyle Shelton joins Cory Bernardi’s Australian Conservatives, The Guardian Australia, 4 February 2018
  4. ↑ Allpass, Genevieve (11 June 2005). "Sex fight goes to Parliament". Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  5. ↑ Donaghey, Kathleen. "Brisbane may drink recycled effluent too". The Toowoomba Chronicle. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  6. ↑ Shelton, Lyle (20 August 2012). "Gay marriage debate is more complex than "free love"". The Punch. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  7. ↑ Aston, Heath (30 April 2013). "Muslims join Christians on gay marriage referendum call". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  8. ↑ Hall, Eleanor (18 January 2012). "Wilkie insists poker machine deal still holds". The World Today, ABC. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  9. ↑ "Potential charges over Bernardi protest". Yahoo News. 18 March 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  10. ↑ "Cape Town Declaration". Cape Town Declaration. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  11. ↑ "Family groups meet in Africa for global fight against marriage equality". OutInPerth. 11 December 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  12. ↑ Sainty, Lane (14 December 2016). "Anti-LGBT Activists Launch New "International Organization For The Family"". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  13. ↑ Knaus, Christopher (21 September 2017). "Lyle Shelton gets more media mentions than all three leading yes campaigners". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  14. ↑ "Martyn Iles new Managing Director for Australian Christian Lobby". Anglican Church League. 3 February 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  15. ↑ "Lyle Shelton joins Australian Conservatives party | Sky News Australia". Sky News Australia (in undefined). Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  16. ↑ Doherty, Ben (2018-02-03). "Lyle Shelton quits Australian Christian Lobby to enter politics". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  17. ↑ Olask, Marvin (10 December 2016). "A bold stand in the Land Down Under". World. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  18. ↑ Holgate, Tess (11 December 2016). "Lyle Shelton polarises Aussie Christians". Eternity. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  19. ↑ Davidson, Helen (29 February 2016). "Q&A recap: Lyle Shelton locks horns with panel on marriage equality". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  20. ↑ "Christian Leaders Hit Back At Lyle Shelton Over Gay Conversion Therapy Remarks". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  21. ↑ "ACL labels drag show in Sydney's Pitt St Mall "pornography" | OUTInPerth – Gay and Lesbian News and Culture". www.outinperth.com. Retrieved 2018-03-01.
  22. ↑ "Conservative politician claims drag is 'porn'". PinkNews. Retrieved 2018-03-01.
Preceded by
Jim Wallace		 Managing Director of Australian Christian Lobby
2013–2018		 Succeeded by
Martyn Iles
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