Family First candidate Cameron Lock stands for religious freedom

A Strathalbyn educator, husband and father of four will run for the revived Family First party in Hammond at the upcoming state election.

Cameron Lock – a deputy principal at Tyndale Christian School’s Strath campus – has promised to campaign for religious freedom and free choice in the lead-up to the March 19 vote.

He said he supported churches and religious schools’ freedom to employ staff, and teach students, “whose values align with their own ethos, morals and beliefs”.

He was also in favour of individuals’ right to choose when it came to health care, education and employment.

However, he believed South Australia’s abortion laws were too permissive, and that a loophole which allowed pregnancies to be terminated after 22 weeks and six days – in rare, medically appropriate circumstances – should be closed.

Also on Mr Lock’s agenda was support for family businesses that suffered as a result of COVID-19 and the regulations that came with it.

“Over the last two years, the people of South Australia have been used to gain political points,” he said.

“People have lost their jobs, businesses have closed and people’s livelihoods have been threatened and even destroyed.

“The family unit has taken the full impact of the government’s decisions.”

Family First offered hope for a better South Australia, he said.

Former political party has been born again

This Family First party, founded by two Catholic ex-Labor MPs last year, has no direct relationship with the previous party of the same name, which grew out of the Pentecostal movement and eventually folded into the Australian Conservatives before disappearing in 2018.

However, original Family First founder Andrew Evans has offered his blessing to the reborn party.

• More information: familyfirstparty.org.au/about-us.

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