Green Christian fends off anti-Christian claims

With news today that the Greens primary vote appears to be slipping, it is timely to consider a defence of the party against those that claim it is anti-Christian.

In today’s Essential Report, the Coalition has increased 3 per cent to 42 per cent, Labor has increased 1 per cent to 41 per cent and The Greens have dropped to 10 per cent%, their lowest level of support since May. The two-party preferred vote is 52-48 per cent.

Meanwhile, Greens Senate candidate for the ACT Lin Hatfield Dodd has been busily defending her party from accusations of being anti-Christian.

The Australian Christian Lobby criticised The Greens for only answering six out of 24 questions it put to all political parties on Christian issues.

Mr Wallace said the Greens' refusal to answer the majority of questions showed they were trying to hide their 'antagonism to faith'.

'I think the main thing that's come out of this is the position of the Greens. The Greens actually only answered six of 24 questions,' he said. 'Clearly they felt they couldn't answer the other 18 questions without exposing their antagonism to faith.'

The on Sunday in an opinion piece in the Sunday Telegraph, Cardinal Pell labelled the Greens 'anti-Christian' and 'sweet-camouflaged poison'.

Cardinal Pell also claimed the Greens policies are expensive and will not help poor people.

Ms Hatfield Dodds rejected ACL's criticism.

'I'm a practising Christian. I've been a member of the Uniting Church all my life, since its inception, and the Presbyterian Church before that,' she said.

'I've been in leadership roles in the Uniting Church. I'm a practising person of faith. I'm a member of the Greens and I'm a Senate candidate.

'The Greens' four pillars are social justice, environmental sustainability, participatory democracy and peace and non-violence. As a person of faith that sits totally perfectly for me with some of the core pillars of the Christian faith which are about holding God's creation carefully, caring for those who are the most vulnerable and disadvantaged.'

In response to Cardinal Pell's comments, Ms Hatfield Dodds said Cardinal Pell was simply barracking for his 'old mate' Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

'It's no secret that Cardinal Pell and Tony Abbott are fairly good mates,' she said.

'I think it's good that political leaders have friends from across the religious spectrum. I guess where it gets a bit dangerous is where we see political endorsements or disendorsements come from religious or church leaders. For me, that is starting to cross a bit of a line.'

She said Cardinal Pell's attack was 'very disappointing'.