Lyle Shelton

Australian’s trust of politicians is somewhere slightly above bankers and used car salesmen.

Some would say this is a generous assessment.

It pains me to write this because I believe politics is a noble calling. I want to see the trust rebuilt.

For common sense conservatives, though, disillusionment runs deep.  Time after time politicians who claim to support their values let them down.

In a week where the harmful consequences of redefining marriage are starting to hit children and the privacy rights of women, it is timely that the Toowoomba Chronicle has highlighted my comments about the preselection challenge to Turnbull Cabinet minister John McVeigh (full story below).

“No, it is not political correctness gone mad, this is reality. We have just had the biggest debate about marriage equality.” – Qld Education Minister Grace Grace

With these words the Queensland Education Minister Grace Grace yesterday belled the cat on one of the biggest frauds ever perpetrated on the Australian people.

“Diversity” and “inclusion” have come to mean that anyone who does not bow to a politically correct view of the world should be excluded.

The idea that we are all sinners and unless we repent we will go to Hell is not new.

The idea that homosexual practice - along with lying, cheating, not honouring parents etc etc - is sinful is also not new.

“Now that we have marriage equality, the time is right to examine whether Queensland’s life event registration services meet changing community expectations and the needs of LGBTI Queensland.’’ – Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath

Australians voted Yes in the marriage plebiscite after repeatedly being promised there would be no consequences.

I wouldn’t have bothered responding except that such a nonsensical swipe came from a member of Parliament.

Tim Watts is the Labor member for the seat of Gellibrand in Melbourne.

We’ve not met but we have exchanged tweets on several occasions. I enjoy good-natured banter on social media.

Last night I retweeted a link from Daily Telegraph columnist Miranda Devine which showed video footage of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg squirming under questioning about the social media behemoth’s alleged censoring of conservative posts.

This is a big story and it goes to the heart of the struggle for the soul of the Liberal National Party.

Toowoomba, Queensland, is the conservative heartland of the LNP where its sitting federal member for the electorate of Groom is cabinet minister John McVeigh.

Prominent LNP party member and respected local businessman Isaac Moody has taken the drastic step of challenging McVeigh’s pre-selection.

Australia faces economic, political and social crises all of which our major parties seem incapable of addressing.

On the economic front, the only thing certain about our energy future is its increasing unaffordability.

As the Prime Minister and Energy Minister beg AGL not to close the massive Liddell power station in the Hunter Valley, its seems like no one has planned how the lights might be kept on.

Originally published in "The Gladstone Observer"

FOR LYLE SHELTON cricket is a metaphor for life and politics.

"This scandal over the weekend has gutted me, the game is centred around sportsmanship and character and our national team has crashed those values," he said.

Originally published in the "Daily Mercury"

A NEW party is entering the Queensland political fracas, on a mission to stamp out political correctness and put jobs and coal back on the agenda.