Anglican Communion News Service

Church leaders in Australia, criticising the Federal Government's plans to limit Aboriginal land-rights in rural areas, have sparked a national debate about the role of Churches in politics.

The proposed Native Title Act amendments, which curtail Aboriginal rights on pastoral leases, have been strongly criticised by the Archbishop of Western Australia, Dr Peter Carnley. He has called particular provisions in the Act "racially objectionable".

Most Church leaders agree with him. They include rural Anglican bishops as well as the Archbishop of Sydney, the Most Revd Harry Goodhew, and the leader of Australia's Roman Catholics, Cardinal Edward Clancy.

But Queenland's Archbishop, the Most Revd Peter Hollingworth, has accused them of "dewy-eyed sentimentality", and of not understanding the problems pastors face. They should "take a cold shower", and not inflame the debate, the Archbishop says. He supports the Prime Minister, John Howard, who says the church leaders are causing "deep offence" to churchgoers.

A Queensland politician, Warren Entsch, is urging churchgoers to boycott services in protest at their leaders' part in the debate.

Meanwhile, the National Council of Churches, which represents all mainstream Christian denominations, has designated Advent Sunday as a national day of prayer for reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-indigenous Australians. It is urging the Federal Government to ensure that, in amending the Native Title Act, it gives equal protection to all Australians, and refrains "from treating the rights of native title-holders in a discriminatory way."