Gordon Moyes

Gordon Keith Mackenzie Moyes AC (17 November 1938 – 5 April 2015) was an Australian Christian evangelist, broadcaster and politician. From 2002 to 2011, he was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, initially representing the Christian Democratic Party until March 2009, and from November 2009 to 2011 was the Family First Party's lone parliamentary representative in New South Wales.

Early life and career Moyes was born in Melbourne, Victoria, on 17 November 1938.

Prior to becoming superintendent of the Sydney Wesley Mission in 1979, he was an ordained Churches of Christ in Australia minister, serving at Victorian churches in Ascot/Newmarket, Ararat and Cheltenham, while graduating from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Arts in 1961. He became a minister of the Uniting Church minister 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 as 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 said that Nile was going against his own party executive to oppose Islamic schools, saying that 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 said that 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, saying that 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 New South Wales election.

Other details Awarded a number of honorary degrees, Moyes was awarded a Doctor of Divinity (honoris causa) from the California Graduate School of Theology in 1985, a Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) also from the California Graduate School of Theology in 1989 and a Doctor of Letters (honoris causa) from Milligan College, Tennessee, also in 1989. He has also received the honours of Member of the Order of Australia (1986), was appointed a Paul Harris Fellow in 1978 by Rotary International, and received the 1986 Australian Father of the Year award. In 1994, Rotary International recognised Moyes with the president's "distinguished service" award.