12 replies to this topic

[Michelle]

Australian lawmakers overwhelmingly rejected a bill Wednesday that would have legalized gay marriage, and similar legislation looked unlikely to pass despite public support for same-sex marriage.

The House of Representatives voted 98-42 against the legislation, the first of four bills introduced to Parliament that aim to lift the country's ban on same-sex marriage. A separate bill was also being debated in the Senate on Wednesday.

Polls show that most Australians support gay marriage, but the Liberal Party-led conservative opposition coalition and many in the ruling centre-left Labor Party are against it.

cont...

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...aw.html?cmp=rss

[notoverrated]

ya keeps happening in most countries.

[Michelle]

notoverrated, on 20 September 2012 - 07:45 PM, said:

ya keeps happening in most countries.

You have to wonder what the excuse is for countries that are supposed to be so much more secular than the US. That is one of the reasons it irritates me when people blame it solely on the religious right here.

[Golly Buster]

Michelle, on 21 September 2012 - 08:44 PM, said:

You have to wonder what the excuse is for countries that are supposed to be so much more secular than the US.

This was voted down because of clever political manoeuvrings on both sides of parliament to ensure it was voted down.

Quote

Gillard allowed Labor members to make a rare "conscience vote" on the bill Wednesday, which lets lawmakers vote by their personal beliefs without risking expulsion if they defy the party line. Opposition leader Tony Abbott did not give Liberal members that option.

Edited by Golly Buster, 21 September 2012 - 09:55 PM.

[libstaK]

Golly Buster, on 21 September 2012 - 09:39 PM, said:

This was voted down because of clever political manoeuvrings on both sides of parliament to ensure it was voted down.

Gillard is an atheist and a key member of her Parliament Penny Wong - Minister for Finance and Deregulation is publically gay, in fact Gillard and most of parliament on both sides congratulated her and her partner on the birth of their daughter in 2011.

So, Gillard allowed a conscience vote - how is that "political manouverings to ensure it was voted down"?

Abbott a known theist can be accused of that possibly but members have "crossed the floor" in the past for the sake of their conscience, so the opportunity still remained to vote on personal preference regardless.

It is an unfortunate fact that the bill was voted down because it lacked support by a majority of parliament members.  I don't agree with that but I don't see any foul play involved either.

[Golly Buster]

libstaK, on 22 September 2012 - 12:44 AM, said:

So, Gillard allowed a conscience vote - how is that "political manouverings to ensure it was voted down"?

It ensured that some ALP members would vote against it on conscience.

Abbott not allowing a conscience vote ensured no Liberals would vote for it on conscience.

So it was doomed from the outset.

Gillard, btw, was in a lesbian relationship back in the early 80s - she declared it herself on a union leaflet .

[libstaK]

Golly Buster, on 22 September 2012 - 03:43 AM, said:

It ensured that some ALP members would vote against it on conscience.

Abbott not allowing a conscience vote ensured no Liberals would vote for it on conscience.

So it was doomed from the outset.

Gillard, btw, was in a lesbian relationship back in the early 80s - she declared it herself on a union leaflet .

Which only makes one wonder why she would consciously ask for a conscience vote - unless she knew that her position would be considered biased.  She made the only call she could if she was to represent all her constituents.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

Now, if only Mister Rabbit had allowed a conscience vote we might have actually seen a genuine reflection of the Australian people.

[ioppolo]

I honestly don't see why it can't be legal, we live in a 1st world country in the 21st century for god's sake!!

[tipotep]

Michelle, on 20 September 2012 - 06:55 PM, said:

Australian lawmakers overwhelmingly rejected a bill Wednesday that would have legalized gay marriage, and similar legislation looked unlikely to pass despite public support for same-sex marriage.

The House of Representatives voted 98-42 against the legislation, the first of four bills introduced to Parliament that aim to lift the country's ban on same-sex marriage. A separate bill was also being debated in the Senate on Wednesday.

Polls show that most Australians support gay marriage, but the Liberal Party-led conservative opposition coalition and many in the ruling centre-left Labor Party are against it.

cont...

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...aw.html?cmp=rss

I like this bit  .....

Quote

Polls show that most Australians support gay marriage, but the Liberal Party-led conservative opposition coalition and many in the ruling centre-left Labor Party are against it.

Who ever takes these polls are by no means giving the reflection of the general public . If you asked an average aussie about gay marriage he or she  would most likely say " I couldn't care less " . Im pretty sure that this is taken as being " support " for gay marriage , and it's not .

I personally don't have a problem with it - the problem I do have is all the attention and time that has been spent on it in parliment , its seems to be more of a political stunt than anything else ?

TiP.

[psyche101]

tipotep, on 09 October 2012 - 12:40 AM, said:

I like this bit  .....



Who ever takes these polls are by no means giving the reflection of the general public . If you asked an average aussie about gay marriage he or she  would most likely say " I couldn't care less " . Im pretty sure that this is taken as being " support " for gay marriage , and it's not .

I personally don't have a problem with it - the problem I do have is all the attention and time that has been spent on it in parliment , its seems to be more of a political stunt than anything else ?

TiP.

Exactly, polls say what people want them to say. It was probably like a selection of 50 people in a known gay suburb. I cannot say I personally know a single advocate. The only support I have ever personally witnessed has been on TV or in a forum. With Gillard involved, and Abbott's claimed misogynist attitude, pushed by Jooliar I have little doubt that Labor are using this as a stunt to remove focus from the failed carbon tax scheme.

[psyche101]

Golly Buster, on 22 September 2012 - 03:43 AM, said:

Gillard, btw, was in a lesbian relationship back in the early 80s - she declared it herself on a union leaflet .

That was a hoax - Link Hoax Slayer.

[Eldorado]

An Australian man has "married" his best friend – a golden labrador called Honey.
Joe Guiso, 20, married his 5-year-old pet, who was dressed in a white cape, in an elaborate ceremony in his local park in the Queensland town of Toowoomba.
http://www.telegraph...-dog-Honey.html


Hm.

Edited by Eldorado, 10 October 2012 - 11:42 AM.