The Australian Christian Lobby has scored itself a very influential keynote speaker for its nation conference – the Christians’ Atheist old mate, Prime Minister Julia Gillard!

The poster and details have just been revealed – with Gillard set to join ACL leader Jim Wallace on stage in Canberra in October. Tickets to the dinner are now on sale for $100 each.

Since the ACL has been particularly vocal against marriage equality, same-sex marriage activists are very concerned that the Prime Minister will address what they say is “an increasingly extremist, anti-gay group.”

“Between January and June this year the ACL made over 120 statements condemning equality for gay Australians and said virtually nothing about poverty or homelessness, with some of its statements linking gay equality with the stolen generation, Nazis and paedophiles,” says Australian Marriage Equality campaigner Alex Greenwich.

“The ACL is an unrepresentative, anti-gay group which it is completely inappropriate for the leader of our nation to endorse in this way.”

Though you’ll never see Gillard at any of the many LGBT events and fundraisers which happen around Australia through the year, she appears to be still pandering to the group she made an election promise to in 2010 – making clear to Wallace she wouldn’t support changes to the Marriage Act..

Greenwich confirms that the Prime Minister has never spoken at a gay and lesbian community event, including the Rainbow Labor caucus within the Labor Party itself.

“Gay and lesbian Australians and our families want a Prime Minister who shows us equal respect and does not legitimise hate, and at the moment Julia Gillard is not that Prime Minister.”

Meanwhile, other Christians are distancing themselves from the ACL’s troubling messages in recent months.

“Many Australian Christians are concerned about the ACL’s statements because they contradict the central Christian message of love and compassion,” says Baptist Minister Rev Carolyn Francis.

“The ACL’s predominate focus on issues relating to sexuality is disproportionate with the priorities of scripture and Christianity.”

It’s easy to tell Julia what you think about her support of the Australian Christian Lobby. She can be emailed using this form here.