Fred Nile

Frederick John Nile (born 15 September 1934), is an Australian politician, clergyman, nationalist, and social activist. Nile has been a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since 1981, except for a period in 2004 when he resigned to contest (unsuccessfully) the Australian Senate at the 2004 federal election. Nile was re-elected for another term at the March 2007 state election. As the longest serving member of the NSW Parliament, he has the title of "Father of the House".^{[citation needed]}

Contents 1 Early life 2 Pre political career 3 Personal life 4 Career 5 Political views 5.1 Views on the Muslim community 5.2 Views on homosexuality 5.3 Views on The Greens 6 Involvement in Parliament 7 See also 8 References 9 Bibliography 10 External links

Early life

Nile was born in Kings Cross, New South Wales and was educated at Mascot Public and Cleveland Street High School (1940-1949). In 1952, during the Korean war, he (then only 17) volunteered to join the Australian Army where he served until 1953. He then transferred to the CMF / reserves and reached the rank of Major. OC., D Coy, 4 RNSW Regt, Merrylands before retiring in 1972. Nile attended the NSW Congregational Theological College; the Melbourne College of Divinity; the NSW United Faculty of Theology; the University of Sydney (Adult Matriculation) and the University of New England. He also attended lectures (MA Politics) at Macquarie University but did not complete his degree except Theological Tertiary Course (L.Th).

Pre political career

In 1964 he was ordained as a Congregational Minister.

From 1964 to 1967, Nile was National Director of the Australian Christian Endeavour Movement, a Protestant youth leadership training organisation. In 1967-68 he was Assistant Director of the Billy Graham Crusade in Sydney before being employed as Director of the NSW Congregational Board of Evangelism. In 1970-71, he was involved in social work as Director of the Methodist Mission to the People of NSW, and from 1971 to 1973 he was Director of Outreach and Evangelism, Sydney City Wesley Central Methodist Mission.

In 1974, Nile was elected National Co-ordinator and NSW Director of the Australian Federation of Festival of Light - Community Standards Organisation (FOL-CSO), an organisation which campaigned "for purity, love and family life".

Personal life

Fred Nile has been married to Elaine Nile since 1958, Elaine herself was a former member of the Legislative Council for 14 years. They have three sons and a daughter.

Career

Nile is National President of the Christian Democratic Party, a conservative party which focuses primarily on what it regards as important moral and social issues. Nile is noted for his controversial comments. He is known for his vocal opposition to drug use, violence against women and children and the "mistreatment of the Aboriginal Community" by State and Federal Governments. He is most often quoted by the media on issues relating to pornography, abortion and homosexuality.

In 2003 Nile resigned from the Uniting Church in Australia when that church "officially decided to part with a literal interpretation of the Judeo-Christian Bible". He was recently elected President-elect of the Fellowship of Congregational Churches, a group of Australian Congregationalists who declined to join the Uniting Church in 1977.

In 2007 Nile retired as NSW Director of the Australian Federation of Festival of Light.

At the 2007 New South Wales general election, Nile was returned for a further 8 year term.

Nile is Patron of the Australian Christian Nation Association and Vice President of the Australian Christian Endeavour Union, an evangelical youth movement.

Political views

Views on the Muslim community

Following the Moscow theatre hostage crisis in 2002 Nile inquired whether the then Minister of Police would consider banning full body coverings like those worn by the Chechen terrorists, from Parliament and places of public gathering to prevent the carriage of weapons or explosive devices. Nile has consistently defended his position citing a concern for public safety in the wake of dozens of subsequent suicide attacks around the world that have made use of the same or similar dress.

On 10 March 2007, Nile raised concern that Australian Embassy Officials posted in Islamic Nations were favouring the immigration of Muslim over Christian refugees. Nile called for a moratorium on Muslim immigration to Australia: "Australians deserve a breathing space so the situation can be carefully assessed," he told an audience in North Ryde.^[1]

Nile asked for the removal of the then Australian Muslim leader Sheik Taj El-Din Hilaly after the Sheik placed the blame for sexual assault on the female victims.^[2].

In December 2007 Nile raised concerns about the construction of a Muslim School in the Sydney suburb of Camden and was invited to attend many events in contra to the school.

As a consequence of Nile's public position, he has received significant condemnation and death threats from the Islamic community.^[3]

Views on homosexuality

Nile is most often quoted on his opposition to Homosexuality. Whilst Nile has stated that he didn’t have a problem with homosexual people only their practices, he contends that Homosexuality was a “lifestyle choice” that was “immoral, unnatural and abnormal” to the natural order of life. Nile has also stated that he was “totally opposed to the bashing of homosexuals...totally opposed to any violence or attacks directed against homosexual men or lesbians ... opposed to strong (malicious) verbal attacks.” ^[4]

Nile is also known for his opposition to the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which he describes as a "public parade of immorality and blasphemy".^[5] Nile objected to the "indecency and obscenity in various parts of the Mardi Gras" and stated that it reinforced "the worst stereotypes".^[6]

In 2005, Nile called for the repealing of New South Wales anti-vilification law, claiming that the law is discriminatory and should either cover all citizens or be abolished. Nile claimed that the Homosexual Vilification Act was being abused to gag free speech and prevent open non-malicious public discussion.^[7]

Views on The Greens

Nile is a frequent critic of the Australian Greens whom he claims have exploited genuine concern for the environment to garner political influence to "push their agenda of social engineering"..^[8] Nile once described the Green Party as the "watermelon party - Green on the outside but red on the inside, with a bit of a pink tinge."^[9].

Nile has also attempted to draw attention to what he calls the "duplicite political expediency" of the Green party, citing their push to legalise and fund "illicit drug habits for addicts" such as Heroin^[10] and Cannabis^[11] in what he claims is contravention of publicised Green Party policy.^[12]

Nile has also labelled the Greens as being "anti-family", "anti-Christian" and "pagan", citing what he believes to be pro-pornography and pro-sex industry policies and their opposition to the current practice of opening parliament with daily prayers.^[9]

Involvement in Parliament

Nile served on the NSW Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Issues (1988-1995), facilitating legislative reforms on NSW Adoption Laws, Drug Abuse amongst Youth, Rape Rates and Pornography, Domestic Violence, Youth Violence, Youth Rural Suicides, Compensation for Medically Acquired AIDS/HIV Victims, Juvenile Justice, Births, Deaths and Marriage Records.

Nile has also served on the NSW Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice, the NSW Joint Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reform, the Parliamentary Select Committee into Firearms, the Joint Parliamentary Select Committee into the Management of Parliament, as Chairman of the Cross City Tunnel Inquiry and Chairman of the Joint Select Committee on the Royal North Shore Hospital.

Fred Nile is currently serving as: ^[13]

• Assistant President of the NSW Legislative Council
• Chairman of the General Purpose Standing Committee No. 1
• Chairman of the Select Committee on Electoral and Political Party Funding
• Member of the Committee on the Independent Commission Against Corruption
• Member of the Committee on the Health Care Complaints Commission
• Member of the Legislative Council Procedure Committee
• Member of the Committee on Children and Young People
• Member of the Standing Committee on State Development
• Member of the Privileges Committee

See also

• Christian Democratic Party (Australia)
• Fellowship of Congregational Churches
• Family First Party
• Congregational Federation of Australia
• Uniting Church in Australia

References

Bibliography

• Fred Nile: A Biography Sydney: Strand: 2001: ISBN 1876825790

External links

• David Penberthy – Editor, Daily Telegraph Sydney. ‘He Had A Seat - And It Wasn't On A Fence’, Daily Telegraph, 14 July 2004
• Bill Simpson ‘Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood’, Illawarra Mercury, 26 February 2005
• Malcolm Brown and Sean Nicholls, 'And God said unto Fred: go to the Senate', Sydney Morning Herald, 11 May 2004, accessed 27 August 2006.
• Topless ban to protect Muslims and Asians: Nile
• Fred Nile speech to parliament opposing nude bathing
• Official Website

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