In general the Presbyterian Church recognizes that individual Christians must seek to frame their own attitudes to the social and moral dilemmas that occur in their lives and that of the community and nation. They are answerable to God and to their own consciences for their own actions. They can do little wrong when they deal with people with an integrity based on courtesy, fairness, honesty, generosity and empathy.

However the Assembly, or its executive committee, the Church and Nation Committee, from time to time makes public statements or submissions on social issues which seek to advise church members, community members and governments.

Over time, the Presbyterian Church has held consistently that:

• Human life, from conception to death, is sacred.

• Only sexual relationships between men and women honour God the Creator.

• Sexual intercourse should only be engaged in by couples committed to each other by marriage.

• Marriage is understood as a union between one man and one woman, undertaken as a life-long commitment. The concept of the family is confined to heterosexual couples.

• Divorce is permitted, being sometimes a necessary way to end a failed marriage relationship and to enable a fresh start.

• Remarriage of divorced persons is permitted.

• Responsible governments must enforce consistent standards that protect vulnerable persons in the community, especially children, from pornographic, violent and exploitative  material in the mass media

• Gambling is a social evil. Church members are discouraged from engaging in gambling, and the practice is forbidden on church property.

• Alcohol has been the cause of great misery and distress in families and in the community. Temperance should be encouraged in the consumption of alcohol.

• Euthanasia, in the form of action deliberately taking a human life (as opposed to a decision not to sustain life by artificial means), is a breach of the sixth commandment.

• Artificial insemination by anonymous donor should be opposed.

• Ministers, church office holders and members must lead an exemplary moral life and disciplinary action will be taken for breaches of that standard.

• Abortion should be opposed except in instances where the physical or mental well-being of the mother is at risk.

• Contraception is an acceptable method of birth control.

• Aboriginal reconciliation should be supported. The General Assembly has acted to do so and has issued a public apology for wrongs which may have been committed in the church’s name on aboriginal people in the past.

• The world we live in is a trust held by current generations to be passed on to future generations in a sustainable condition.

• The misuse of drugs should be opposed and illegal drug-taking should not be decriminalized.