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Australian Marriage Equality

Discussion in 'Current Events, World News, & LGBT News' started by digsy, Jul 23, 2009.

  1. digsy

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    The Australian Senate is currently holding an inquiry into the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2009, which seeks to end discrimination against the LGBT community in terms of marital rights and recognition (Australia is incredibly far behind much of the Western world in this regard). You can send in a written submission of support or simply sign on to the submission they already have here http://www.australianmarriageequality.com/senatesubmission.htm

    I sent in a submission just now:
    Dear Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee,

    This is my submission to your inquiry into marriage equality. I fully endorse the submission made by Australian Marriage Equality in favour of the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2009.

    Australia prides itself on being a land of equality and opportunity, but the 'lucky country' isn't so lucky if you happen to be born homosexual. Please stop treating us like second-class citizens. This denial of our rights is essentially an assertion that our capacity to love is somehow tainted, or less than that of heterosexuals. We are human beings, differentiated only by something trivial that is beyond our control. Does it matter who we love? I think the important thing is that we love at all.

    The government has a responsibility to represent the best interests of its people - ALL its people. Please recognise that the only divide between homosexuals and heterosexuals is that enforced by biased law. Please don't let us down. I love so much about this country; I don't want to be forced out of it because it doesn't love me.


    Obviously there's no need to emphasise to you guys how important this is! The Australian government is incredibly reluctant to even approach this issue, despite recent polls showing that 60% of the public supports gay marriage. It's so rare for our government to ever focus attention on this sort of issue - even the submission of the Bill is a HUGE step forward. But it's not enough!

    We need all the support we can get to make Australia a real nation of equality.
     
  2. digsy

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    #2 digsy, Jul 23, 2009
    Last edited: Jul 23, 2009
  3. Just Adam

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    im not sure what lall this enquiry lot is about or what the outcomes will be ... but if they are trying to shoot down equality...that sucks :frowning2:
     
  4. digsy

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    I'm not much of a politician, but as far as I understand, the inquiry is ordered by the Senate to gather more info. They accept submissions from the public during this time to figure out public opinion on the issue. So basically people are commenting on the Bill (which if passed will allow gay marriage :thumbsup:). Last time this happened in about 2004 I think there were 13000 people who wrote in against it and only 3000 who wrote in for it, even though this didn't reflect the polls. So with this one, we're really trying to spread the word and get a more accurate representation of actual public opinion. Strength in numbers!
     
  5. Bevo

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    These are the facts as i understand it:

    Introduced by Australian Greens Senator, Sarah Hanson-Young. The Greens hold five seats in the Senate.

    The bill preamble: "A Bill for an Act to amend the Marriage Act 1961 to create the opportunity for marriage equality for people regardless of their sex, sexuality or gender identity, and for related purposes "

    Among the many changes it makes, it would replce terms such as "man and woman" or "husband and wife" with "two people" or "two individuals".

    I'm sorry but i dont think this bill has any chances of passing, realistically speaking.

    The Liberals and National Party would oppose it.. while they are on record as supporting anti discrimination legislation but not gay marriage by any means.

    The Australian Labor Party opposes Gay marriage. Prime minister Kevin Rudd has been on record as saying: "marriage is between a man and a woman"
    The Greens are very much in a minority here, unfortnately as it turn out. There was an attempt to introduce gay marriage in the ACT a couple of years ago but that was vetoed by the federal government.

    I think two years ago another Greens senator introduced a similar bill called Marriage (Relationships Equality) Amendment Bill 2007, which sought to do the same thing as this current bill but failed to get enough votes to get a third reading.

    Heres the link to view the current bill:
    http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/bill/meab2009277/
     
    #5 Bevo, Jul 23, 2009
    Last edited: Jul 23, 2009
  6. Just Adam

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    wow how backwards :S
     
  7. BitterEdge

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    Best of luck, I will be utterly impressed if this passes, if not its still a chip in the brick wall.
     
  8. George1

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    Actually he said he doesn't "feel Australia is ready for it yet".. >_>

    Either way, I hope the bill passes, or at least causes the issue to become as big as it did in California.
     
  9. dictionary

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  10. Bevo

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    :confused: I dont think so... here is what he actually said during an interview on ABC radio: "KEVIN RUDD: I have a pretty basic view on this, as reflected in the position adopted by our party, and that is, that marriage is between a man and a woman."

    Media link here: http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2007/s2001400.htm
     
  11. Danielle

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    Rudd seem pretty good when it comes to gay rights, he did appoint the first ever openly gay cabinet minister so that is a plus.
     
  12. Just Adam

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    so hes pro gay aslong as we know our place and it will never be equall? ....
     
  13. Bevo

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    I believe the term is political coward :lol: which means he's fine making symbolic steps, like appointing Penny Wong to the cabinet, but not real ones, like legislating for Gay Marriage.
     
  14. Just Adam

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    sounds about right for all politicians here aswell lol
     
  15. Danielle

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    Considering previous Australian Prime Ministers, Rudd is a big step in the right direction.
     
  16. Bevo

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    Oh i'm not saying that some of the steps he's taken arent good, like the recent legislation that amended 100 laws that discriminated agianst LGBT people and the appointment of Penny Wong... All i'm saying is that he's a spineless populist who loves doing really symbolic things and not making actual progress...all face and no substance :grin:
     
  17. Just Adam

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    hes teh perfect politician
     
  18. Danielle

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    I would tend to view the legislation you mentioned as just more than symbolic but I get you. Though I think we both know if Rudd tried anything of real stubstance he wouldn't pass it with the senate the liberals still have a majority and with Steve Fielding any bill legalising same sex marriage is dead.

    Right now I don't think it is time to propose the legislation unless he wants a double dissolution election.
     
  19. Bevo

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    I think that that particluar legislation (which was supported by the Liberal/National Parties) is very important and it does a lot, but i meant that it was symbolic in the sense of "why do all this when you cant do gay marriage as well?" I mean that it is two-faced and spineless to approve the removal of discrimination but support discrimination in another way.

    Ahh but thats the issue.. Rudd and the ALP are so cowardly that they woudnt introduce it even if they had an absolute majority in the senate.
     
  20. dictionary

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