JourneyOnline
Come 2 July, Australians will be making the journey to the ballot box to decide who will represent them in Canberra.
Click here to read June Journey
It’s easy to be cynical about the process: throughout the community there’s a serious trust deficit with our political elite, to the point where cronyism, lies and corruption elicit a shrug and an apathetic remark, “well, that’s politics for you”.
But regardless of how you feel about the current occupants of Parliament House, critical issues of social justice do not go away and this election still remains a vital opportunity to participate in making a better community for everyone.
Whether confronting choices on the ballot form or, indeed, choices in the church—and our 32nd Synod in Session report covers the choices and outcomes from the event (page 13)—it is imperative we practice proper discernment and urge our leaders to create societies built upon the kind of moral foundations of which Jesus would approve.
To assist your discernment at the ballot, we’ve assembled an election spread (page 5) covering key matters that may not get a huge amount of mainstream media play, but are definitely worth contemplating before you select a candidate.
When the dust settles and the victors emerge, remind your politicians of their obligations to the community and all the promises they made to entice votes.
Given the power entrusted to them and the taxpayerfunded wealth bestowed upon them, it is imperative that Australians do not shrug and switch off, but hold politicians to a standard of professional conduct commensurate with their power and pay.
And now for something completely different: please enjoy our feature profile on multihyphenate star Julie McCrossin (page 10) who details her fascinating faith journey from Anglicanism to the Uniting Church.
Ben Rogers
Cross-platform editor
