THE acting Anglican Bishop of Wangaratta has defended his Albury church staging a garden party to support Sussan Ley.
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Ken Goodger, dean of Holy Trinity Cathedral, said he had criticism of the event held on Wednesday evening in response to a protest outside Ms Ley’s Albury office.
“I’ve received a couple of calls about it, mainly that the church is seen to becoming involved in a political issue,” Father Goodger said.
Ms Ley has stood aside as Health Minister while her use of job entitlements is probed after buying a Gold Coast unit on a work trip.
Father Goodger said the church had “to be careful” it was not seen supporting a political party.
However, he believes St Matthew’s Albury priest Peter MacLeod-Miller’s garden party was for an individual politician.
“I don’t think what Father MacLeod-Miller did was support a particular party, he was supporting a local member,” Father Goodger said.
“The fact Sussan Ley is part of the Coalition Government, I don’t think that was the issue, so I don’t see there was a particular conflict in him doing that.
“I’m sure if Sussan Ley was a Labor member he would have supported her equally.”
Albury Labor Party councillor Darren Cameron labelled Father MacLeod-Miller’s party as “privilege defending privilege”.
Father Goodger rejected that characterisation.
“St Matthew’s is very much involved in helping the underprivileged people in the Albury community,” he said.
“Father MacLeod-Miller does a lot of good work with homeless people and provides food.”
Father MacLeod-Miller said Cr Cameron “just needs to have a bit of cheering up”.
He said he consulted his parish council about the garden party and it gave unanimous support.
“The only people who have actually objected are people I don’t know and people that are overheated and under-medicated,” Father MacLeod-Miller said.
He agreed with Father Goodger that he would have supported Ms Ley if she was a Labor member, noting he backed Farrer Labor candidate Christian Kunde who resigned after being linked to an extreme Muslim group.
“Of course, in fact I supported Dr Kunde when he was dumped by the Labor Party,” Father MacLeod-Miller said.
“It’s a matter of an individual being badly treated.
“It’s not declaring her innocence, all it’s saying is give her a fair go.”