ACT attacks PM for pandering to the "extreme Christian Right"

HE ACT Government has accused Kevin Rudd of pandering to the "extreme Christian Right" in its threat to scuttle the territory's controversial civil partnerships bill.

Yesterday, the ACT's federal Labor members and senators were labelled hypocrites for failing to condemn the commonwealth after it threatened to disallow the bill on the grounds that it would mimic marriage.

ACT Attorney-General Simon Corbell accused the Prime Minister, a devout Christian, of "kow-towing" to the Christian lobby.

"My view of that is they have been beholden to the extreme Right of the Christian lobby in Australia," Mr Corbell said.

"They feel that it's more important to satisfy their views than accept that the ACT is self-governing and has the right to make these laws for itself."

Federal ACT Labor politicians, who condemned the Howard government two years ago over "unwarranted interference" in the territory's affairs after then attorney-general Philip Ruddock scuttled a bill virtually identical to the one currently proposed, refused to comment on the Rudd Government's threat.

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The Australian, Australia