Gordon Moyes

Gordon Keith Mackenzie Moyes, AC, MLC (born 17 November 1938) is an Australian Christian evangelist, broadcaster, and politician. Since 2002, he has been a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, initially representing the Christian Democratic Party until March 2009, and since November 2009 has been the Family First Party's lone parliamentary representative in New South Wales.

Early life and career

He first gained prominence in Australia as host of the weekly television program Turn 'Round Australia and radio program Sunday Night Live with Gordon Moyes.

Prior to becoming Superintendent of Wesley Mission in 1979, he was an ordained Churches of Christ in Australia minister, serving at Victorian churches in Ascot/Newmarket, Ararat, and Cheltenham. He was re-ordained by the Uniting Church following his transfer to Wesley Mission. In December 2005 he resigned after 27 years from his position at Wesley Mission, handing over to Dr Keith Garner of the United Kingdom.

Parliamentary career

Gordon Moyes was appointed by the Christian Democratic Party (CDP) to take Elaine Nile's place in the New South Wales Legislative Council in 2002 following her resignation. Moyes subsequently stood for the CDP at the 2003 state election and was elected in his own right.

In 2004, Moyes started questioning CDP leader Fred Nile's leadership after Nile's return to state politics following his unsuccessful attempt to win a seat at the 2004 federal election. Despite his previous support for Nile, Moyes argued that Nile's anti-LGBT, anti-abortion and anti-Muslim focus should be altered and that greater emphasis be placed on environmental issues. Tensions between the two men escalated following the 2007 election, when Nile was awarded with a newly-created position in the Legislative Council. Moyes initially crossed the floor to vote against the appointment, although was ultimately persuaded by Nile to vote for it. A factional rift within the party opened, with Moyes opposing Nile publicly and in Parliament on a range of grounds. In December 2007, Moyes claimed that Nile was going against his own party executive to oppose Islamic schools, claiming it was policy "made on the run" by Nile and was "certainly not democratic in its methodology or Christian in its theological application". He called for Nile to be replaced as party leader. In September 2008, Moyes claimed Nile was too old to be a viable leader and accused him of being "a pathetic figure" who was a "loner" with "no peers or friends", and that he had requested that his parliamentary office be moved as his staff had been subjected to bullying and harassment.

In February 2009, Nile wrote in his monthly newsletter that he regretted allowing Moyes to take his wife's place upon her retirement "because of his disloyalty and divisive actions and his frequent support of the Greens". Moyes responded that he had no intention of resigning, saying he was worried by the party's anti-Muslim and anti-gay stance, and labelling Nile an extremist. He commented further, "The Greens are far more Christian than climate sceptics and those who back the exploiters of the poor and homeless".

In March 2009, the breach between the two became permanent, with Nile forcing Moyes' expulsion from the Party. He continued in Parliament as an independent, and then joined the Family First Party in November 2009, becoming its first parliamentary representative in New South Wales.

Other details

Moyes is a recipient of the Companion of The Order of Australia. He has also received the honors of Member of The Order of Australia (1986), Paul Harris Fellow (1978), and the Australian Father Of The Year award (1986).

External links

• Gordon Moyes at Parliament of New South Wales
• Personal homepage