Gordon Moyes - Parliamentary Career

Parliamentary Career

Moyes was appointed by the Christian Democratic Party (CDP) to take Elaine Nile's place in the New South Wales Legislative Council in 2002 following her resignation. Moyes subsequently stood for the CDP at the 2003 state election and was elected in his own right.

In 2004, Moyes started questioning CDP leader Fred Nile's leadership after Nile's return to state politics following his unsuccessful attempt to win a seat at the 2004 federal election. Despite his previous support for Nile, Moyes argued that Nile's anti-homosexual, anti-abortion and anti-Muslim focus should be altered and that greater emphasis be placed on environmental issues. Tensions between the two men escalated following the 2007 election, when Nile was re-elected to the Legislative Council.

In 2007, the President of the Legislative Council, Meredith Anne Burgmann retired from public service and the Council sought a replacement. Tensions flared when both Moyes and Nile applied for the position. Nile subsequently withdrew his application and nominated Moyes at Moyes' behest. Peter Primrose was confirmed President on 8 March 2007, Moyes having received only two votes, Nile's and his own. After Nile was made Assistant Deputy President on 28 June 2007 and then Assistant President 28 November 2007, Moyes began to publicly attack Nile.

In December 2007, Moyes claimed that Nile was going against his own party executive to oppose Islamic schools, claiming it was policy "made on the run" by Nile and was "certainly not democratic in its methodology or Christian in its theological application". He called for Nile to be replaced as party leader. In September 2008, Moyes claimed Nile was too old to be a viable leader, accusing him of being "a pathetic figure" who was a "loner" with "no peers or friends". He also requested that his parliamentary office be moved claiming his staff had been subjected to bullying and harassment.

In February 2009, Nile wrote in his monthly newsletter that he regretted allowing Moyes to take his wife's place upon her retirement "because of his disloyalty and divisive actions and his frequent support of the Greens". Moyes stated that the "Greens" were "far more Christian". In March 2009, the members of the Christian Democratic Party voted to expel Moyes. Moyes responded by stating that the Party was "hypocritical", "anti-democratic" and exhibited "extreme fundamentalism". Moyes chastised Party members for their literal interpretation of the Judeo-Christian Bible and made a point telling the Sydney Star Observer that the CDP stance against homosexuality was un-Christian.

Moyes continued in Parliament as an independent before joining the Family First Party in November 2009. On 26 March 2011, Moyes failed in his attempt to be re-elected to the Legislative Council at the 2011 NSW election.