Sydney Catholic Church Sending Concerned Letters To Brands Supporting Marriage Equality

Last month, the continued fight for marriage equality in Australia received a much-welcomed, public boost of support – as dozens of major Australian brands and businesses took out a full page ad in The Australian, advocating for same sex marriage. 

Heavyweights like Google, Telstra, SBS, Westpac, ANZ, CBA, St. George, and Ben & Jerry’s joined the campaign; a fortnight later, the list of brands supporting the movement swelled even further, with McDonald’s, Airbnb, Twitter and Mastercard also jumping on board. 

It was an empowering move. A bold move. And a necessary move, to raise the pressure on the Government giving a marriage equality bill the attention it deserves.

But because we can’t have nice things, the Catholic Church in Sydney has reportedly sent concerned letters to at least two businesses involved in the campaign, writing to criticise their move which was “overstepping their purpose,” according to The Guardian today.

“You are publicly supporting a strategic, political and well-funded campaign designed to pressure the federal government into changing the Marriage Act. I wonder whether you have questioned whether it is the role of a corporation such as yours to be participating in such an ­important matter that impacts all of Australian society now and into the future.

For corporations to speak on such issues on behalf of shareholders, employees, clients/customers, suppliers and other stakeholders is indeed overstepping their purpose and is to be strongly resisted.”