Fred Nile

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Christian Democratic (1988–2022)
Christ in Government (2021)
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Independent (2022)Template:Plainlist4 (3 sons; 1 daughter)Cleveland Street High School University of New England
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}}{{#if:|{{#ifeq:{{#ifeq:|no|yes}}|yes||}} }}{{#if:|{{#ifeq:{{#ifeq:|no|yes}}|yes||}} }}{{#if:|{{#if:||{{#ifeq:{{#ifeq:|no|yes}}|yes||}}}} }}{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox officeholder with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| regexp1 = 1blankname[%d]* | regexp2 = 1namedata[%d]* | regexp3 = 2blankname[%d]* | regexp4 = 2namedata[%d]* | regexp5 = 3blankname[%d]* | regexp6 = 3namedata[%d]* | regexp7 = 4blankname[%d]* | regexp8 = 4namedata[%d]* | regexp9 = 5blankname[%d]* | regexp10 = 5namedata[%d]* | allegiance | alma_mater | regexp11 = alongside[%d]* | alt | regexp12 = ambassador_from[%d]* | regexp13 = appointed[%d]* | regexp14 = appointer[%d]* | regexp15 = assembly[%d]* | awards | battles | battles_label | birth_date | birth_name | birth_place | birthname | regexp16 = blank[%d]* | bodyclass | branch | branch_label | cabinet | candidate | caption | categories | regexp17 = chancellor[%d]* | children | citizenship | regexp18 = co%-leader[%d]* | commands | committees | regexp19 = constituency[%d]* | regexp20 = constituency_AM[%d]* | regexp21 = constituency_MP[%d]* | regexp22 = convocation[%d]* | regexp23 = country[%d]* | regexp24 = data[%d]* | date | death_cause | death_date | death_manner | death_place | demo | regexp25 = deputy[%d]* | regexp26 = district[%d]* | education | election_date | embed | father | regexp28 = firstminister[%d]* | footnotes | regexp29 = governor[%d]* | regexp30 = governor_general[%d]* | regexp31 = governor%-general[%d]* | height | honorific_prefix | honorific-prefix | honorific_suffix | honorific-suffix | image | image name | image_name_alt | image_size | imagesize | image_upright | incumbent | regexp32 = jr/sr[%d]* | regexp33 = jr/sr and state[%d]* | known_for | regexp34 = leader[%d]* | regexp35 = legislature[%d]* | regexp36 = lieutenant[%d]* | regexp37 = lieutenant_governor[%d]* | mainwidth | regexp38 = majority[%d]* | regexp39 = majority_floor_leader[%d]* | regexp40 = majority_leader[%d]* | regexp41 = majorityleader[%d]* | mawards | regexp42 = military_blank[%d]* | regexp43 = military_data[%d]* | regexp44 = minister[%d]* | regexp45 = minister_from[%d]* | regexp46 = minority_floor_leader[%d]* | regexp47 = minority_leader[%d]* | regexp48 = minorityleader[%d]* | regexp49 = module[%d]* | regexp50 = monarch[%d]* | mother | name | nationality | native_name | native_name_lang | nickname | nocat | regexp51 = nominator[%d]* | nominee | occupation | regexp52 = office[%d]* | opponent | regexp53 = order[%d]* | otherparty | parents | regexp54 = parliament[%d]* | regexp55 = parliamentarygroup[%d]* | partner | party | party_election | portfolio | regexp56 = preceded[%d]* | regexp57 = preceding[%d]* | regexp58 = predecessor[%d]* | regexp59 = premier[%d]* | regexp60 = president[%d]* | regexp61 = primeminister[%d]* | regexp62 = prior_term[%d]* | profession | pronunciation | rank | rank_label | relations | relatives | residence | resting_place | resting_place_coordinates | restingplace | restingplacecoordinates | regexp63 = riding[%d]* | runningmate | salary | serviceyears | serviceyears_label | signature | signature_alt | signature_size | smallimage | smallimage_alt | source | speaker | speaker_office | spouse | spouses | regexp64 = state[%d]* | regexp65 = state_assembly[%d]* | regexp66 = state_delegate[%d]* | regexp67 = state_house[%d]* | regexp68 = state_legislature[%d]* | regexp69 = state_senate[%d]* | regexp70 = status[%d]* | regexp71 = suboffice[%d]* | regexp72 = subterm[%d]* | regexp73 = succeeded[%d]* | regexp74 = succeeding[%d]* | regexp75 = successor[%d]* | regexp76 = taoiseach[%d]* | regexp77 = term[%d]* | regexp78 = term_end[%d]* | regexp79 = term_label[%d]* | regexp80 = term_start[%d]* | regexp81 = termend[%d]* | regexp82 = termlabel[%d]* | regexp83 = termstart[%d]* | regexp84 = title[%d]* | unit | unit_label | regexp85 = vicegovernor[%d]* | regexp86 = vicepremier[%d]* | regexp87 = vicepresident[%d]* | regexp88 = viceprimeminister[%d]* | regexp89 = assuming[%d]* | website | width | year }} Frederick John Nile (born 15 September 1934) is an Australian former politician and ordained Christian minister. Nile was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1981-2023, except for a period in 2004. Nile was re-elected at the 1991, 1999, 2007, and 2015 state elections and served as the Assistant President of the Legislative Council between 2007 and 2019. Nile lost his seat at the 2023 New South Wales state election, after four decades of being in parliament.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Nile was National President of the Christian Democratic Party, a conservative party which focused primarily on what it regarded as important moral and social issues. Nile is noted for his controversial comments.<ref name=smh-no-award/><ref name=dt-ch-care>Template:Cite news</ref> He is mainly known for his vocal opposition to drug use, abortion, pornography and homosexuality.<ref>Ainsley Symons (2014), "Anti-Abortion Campaigning and the Political Process," in Recorder (Melbourne Branch, Australian Society for the Study of Labour History), No. 279, March, p.2</ref><ref name="ABC-Green-2009"/> He is patron of the Australian Christian Nation Association and Vice President of the Australian Christian Endeavour Union, an evangelical youth movement.<ref>'About the Rev Hon Fred Nile MLC'. Parliament of New South Wales. Hansard.</ref> Until his electoral defeat in 2023, Nile was the longest-serving member of the New South Wales Parliament.<ref name="retire">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Early lifeEdit

Nile was born in Kings Cross, New South Wales<ref name=Autobio>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and was educated at Mascot Public and Cleveland Street High School (1940–1949). In 1952, during the Korean War, at age 17, Nile volunteered to join the National Service in 1952 and then transferred to the CMF/reserves which allowed him to avoid deployment to Korea and qualified for the rank of major, before retiring in 1972. In 1958, Nile married Elaine Crealy, who was a member of the Legislative Council for 14 years. They had three sons and a daughter. Elaine died in October 2011 at age 75.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Nile attended the NSW Congregational Theological College, the NSW United Faculty of Theology and the University of New England. He was awarded a Licentiate of Theology by the Melbourne College of Divinity.<ref name="BioNSWPL">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Early careerEdit

Nile was ordained as a Congregational minister in 1964. From 1964 to 1967, he 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 Congregational Board of Evangelism in New South Wales. In 1970–71, he was involved in social work as director of the Methodist Mission to the People of New South Wales and, from 1971 to 1973, was Director of Outreach and Evangelism, Sydney City Wesley Central Methodist Mission.<ref name="court">Court, J.H., (1975), Law, Light and Liberty, Lutheran Publishing House, Adelaide, Chapter 13.</ref>

In 1974, Nile was elected national co-ordinator and the New South Wales director of the Australian Federation of Festival of Light – Community Standards Organisation (FOL–CSO), an organisation which campaigned "for purity, love and family life".<ref name = "Mardi Gras">'Fred Nile anti-gay march on Oxford Street'. 10 February 1989. National Nine News.</ref><ref name = "Anti-vilification">Sean Nicholls. (3 June 2011). 'All talk, no action to halt wages bill'. Sydney Morning Herald.</ref>

Political careerEdit

Nile was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Council on 19 September 1981 with 9.1% of the vote<ref name="ABC-Green-2009">Template:Cite news</ref> as the founder of the Call to Australia (Fred Nile) Group, established in 1977.<ref name="BioNSWPL"/> Following the election to the Legislative Council of Jim Cameron (in 1984) and Nile's wife, Elaine (1988), the Call to Australia Group was officially recognised as a political party. Fred Nile was re-elected to the Council at the 1991 and 1999 state elections. Nile wrote his autobiography in 2001. In 2003, Nile resigned from the Uniting Church in Australia claiming that the church had "officially decided to part with a literal interpretation of the Judeo-Christian Bible".<ref>'Fred Nile resigns from church'. 21 July 2003. Sydney Morning Herald.</ref>

Federal candidacy (2004)Edit

Nile resigned from the NSW Parliament on 30 August 2004 in order to contest the 2004 Federal election, seeking a position in the Australian Senate<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> on a platform of opposition of the recognition of gay marriages.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Nile was the last candidate excluded after the distribution of votes on the 77th count, and was not elected to the Senate.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A few months later, he was re-appointed to the Legislative Council to fill the vacancy created by his own resignation.<ref name="ABC-Green-2009"/>

Return to state politicsEdit

At the 2007 New South Wales state election, Nile was re-elected for a further eight-year term and was appointed to the newly created position of Assistant President of the NSW Legislative Council.<ref name=ABC-2011-05-03>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2007, he retired as the New South Wales director of the Australian Federation of Festival of Light. Nile served as the president of the Fellowship of Congregational Churches, a group of Australian Congregationalists who declined to join the Uniting Church in 1977, for the years 2007 to 2012, and again for the 2013/14 year.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In November 2009, he stated his decision to retire in 2015,<ref name="SMH20091112">Template:Cite news</ref> but later announced his decision to accept the Christian Democratic Party (CDP) nomination for the NSW Legislative Council at the New South Wales State Election on 28 March 2015.<ref name="cdp-fred=2015">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2014, Nile announced that he would be contesting the next state election in 2015 with his deputy, Ross Clifford. In 2015, Nile supported the Liberal government's privatisation of the state's electricity poles and wires.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In January 2017, Nile was denied entry to the United States where he had been invited to attend the inauguration of Donald Trump.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was later granted a visa and an apology, though no reason was given for the initial refusal.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Demise of the Christian Democratic Party and aftermath: 2021–presentEdit

In April 2021, Nile announced he would retire in November 2021, nominating Lyle Shelton to replace him.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> However, in September of that year he rescinded Shelton's endorsement and announced he would complete his term.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2022, the Christian Democratic Party was dissolved.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Following the CDP's dissolution, Nile said he planned to form a new party called Christ in Government (Fred Nile Alliance), but in May 2022 he instead joined the Seniors United Party of Australia.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The party was not registered with the New South Wales Electoral Commission and was deregistered with the Australian Electoral Commission less than two months later.<ref name="dereg">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Nile renewed his retirement in October 2022, intending to give his final speech in parliament on 17 November.<ref name="retire" /> In February 2023, he announced his intention to nominate for re-election.<ref name="unretire">Template:Cite news</ref> He appeared on the ballot second to his wife Silvana with no party affiliation as Group G.<ref name="2023ballot">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Having only two candidates, this group had no above-the-line voting square which experts considered to leave no prospect for election.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref>

In the event, Fred and Silvana Nile (Group G) both received 2507 votes in all, which constituted 0.05% of the total votes/ballot papers cast. which was not enough to return Nile to the Legislative Council with his wife.<ref> New South Wales Electoral Commission: Legislative Council election results (18.04.2023) : http://vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/SG2301/LC/state/cc/fp_summary </ref>

ControversiesEdit

Comments on "Pederasty" ABC programEdit

In July 1975, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Radio National aired a program entitled "Pederasty" which featured Richard Neville candidly interviewing "three men in their thirties who admitted to sex relations with boys, and a teenage boy who said he had been involved in such relationships since he was 12".<ref name="complaint">Template:Cite news</ref> Nile objected to the program's content and turned a tape of the show over to police.<ref name="vice">Template:Cite news</ref>

Comments on the Lindt Cafe siegeEdit

In January 2015, Nile argued that male hostages who fled the Lindt Cafe siege should not receive bravery awards, as giving them one would "cheapen" it.<ref name=smh-no-award>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He stated during an interview on Channel Seven's Sunrise program that no hostages at Martin Place should receive bravery awards and their actions had potentially risked the lives of their fellow hostages. "Usually men try to protect the women and it seems that the men were saving their own skin and leaving the women there." He later added that he mis-spoke when he said that "the only man inside the café had been the man holding the gun."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In a media release dated 14 January 2015, Nile stated, "I fully support Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s recommendation to the Governor General, Sir Peter Cosgrove, that Mrs Dawson and Mr Johnson should be honoured with posthumous bravery awards." He also recommended that proper consideration should be given to the actions of others involved, including other hostages and police.<ref name="save-yourself,-or-women-and-children-first">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Comments on homosexualityEdit

Nile has been described by Buzzfeed as "one of Australia's longest-running anti-gay campaigners".<ref name="Buzzfeed2017">Template:Cite news</ref> He is opposed to homosexuality which he has described as a "mental disorder"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and calls homosexuality a "lifestyle choice" that is "immoral, unnatural and abnormal".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Nile has opposed the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which he described as a "public parade of immorality and blasphemy".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Nile objected to the "indecency and obscenity in various parts of the Mardi Gras" and stated that it reinforced "the worst stereotypes".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Each year, he leads a prayer session against the event.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Following a 2011 announcement by Penny Wong, a Labor Party federal government minister, that her same-sex partner was pregnant,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Nile publicly denounced Wong's actions, saying "I'm totally against a baby being brought up by two mothers" and "She needn't have made it public. It just promotes their lesbian lifestyle and trying to make it natural where it's unnatural."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During a televised debate on the show Q&A, Nile told Gene Robinson, the first priest in an openly gay relationship to be consecrated a bishop in a major Christian denomination, that he "should be ashamed to be a bishop and going against the church".<ref>Archived at Ghostarchive Template:Cbignore and the Wayback Machine Template:Cbignore: Template:Citation Template:Cbignore</ref>

Nile used his newspaper, Family World News, to urge a no vote on the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey.<ref name="Buzzfeed2017"/>

Comments on the Australian GreensEdit

Nile is a frequent critic of the Australian Greens, claiming that they have exploited genuine concern for the environment to garner political influence to "push their agenda of social engineering".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Nile has criticised the Greens for what he calls "duplicite political expediency", citing their push to legalise and fund "illicit drug habits for addicts" such as heroin<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and cannabis<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> in what he claims is contravention of publicised Greens policy.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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.<ref name="cdp.org.au"/>

Nile once described the Greens as the "watermelon party – green on the outside but red on the inside, with a bit of a pink tinge."<ref name="cdp.org.au">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Comments on Muslims and neo-pagansEdit

Following the Moscow theatre hostage crisis in 2002, Nile asked whether the then state 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 attempted to pass bills in the NSW Legislative Council that would prohibit the wearing of full-face coverings, such as the hijab or niqāb, six times – 2006, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2019. Five of the bills failed to be passed, with only the latest bill still not lapsed.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2010, 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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Nile is opposed to Australian neopagans, having said that the Christian Democrats would "do what it can to stop pagan weddings and witchcraft or Wicca activities."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Comparison of ethics classes to NazismEdit

Ethics classes were introduced by the Keneally Labor government as an alternative for children who did not want to attend traditional scripture classes.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Prior to the 2011 state election, Barry O'Farrell made a pre-election pledge of not scrapping the ethics classes. Following the election, Nile, who was vehemently opposed to the ethics classes, introduced a private members bill proposing the abolition of the classes at the end of the 2011 calendar year. Debate on the bill was adjourned until 16 September;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and eventually Nile was successful in pushing the government to establish a parliamentary inquiry to examine whether ethics classes in NSW schools should be abolished.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Meanwhile, in introducing his bill into the Legislative Council, Nile gained headlines by arguing that the ethics course is based on a philosophy linked to Nazism and Communism.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Parliament activitiesEdit

Nile served on the New South Wales' Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Issues (1988–1995), facilitating legislative reforms on adoption laws, drug abuse among 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.

From 2007 to 2019, Nile served as the assistant president of the New South Wales Legislative Council.<ref name="ReferenceA">Template:Cite NSW Parliament</ref>

Nile also served on the New South Wales' Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice, the New South Wales' 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, chairman of the General Purpose Standing Committee No. 1, chairman of the Select Committee on Electoral and Political Party Funding and chairman of the Joint Select Committee on the Royal North Shore Hospital among many others.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Until his defeat as a Legislative Council candidate, Nile served as a member of the Standing Committee on Social Issues.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

NotesEdit

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ReferencesEdit

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BibliographyEdit

Fred Nile: A Biography Sydney: Strand: 2001: Template:ISBN

External linksEdit

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