Gillard: we’re not behind the times
In the wake of New York鈥檚 decision to legalise same sex marriage PM Julia Gillard has denied Australia is behind the times.
At a press conference this morning the Prime Minister reaffirmed her stance on gay marriage.
鈥榃e鈥檒l make our own decisions in this country based on what鈥檚 right for Australia – my views in this area are well known,鈥� she said.
The PM addressed hundreds of delegates this morning at the biennial WA State Labor Conference at held Ascot Racegrounds. Gay marriage is just one of several topics to be debated at the conference which may create a clear split between WA Labor and the Federal Government.
In her address, the PM said she couldn鈥檛 鈥榠magine us apart鈥� as a society.
鈥業t includes the whole community,鈥� said the PM in describing the Labor party, 鈥榯ruly understanding and representing people in every place.鈥�
At the press conference, the PM denied the Federal Government was out of touch with its state branches despite different platforms on issues like same-sex marriage.
鈥業 think you鈥檒l find that around the country whether its here in Western Australia or in other places, Labor party members come to Labor party conferences full of ideas and wanting to have their say.鈥�, she said.
鈥楳y responsibility as Prime Minister, with the motions being passed here in Western Australia or whether it鈥檚 Queensland or anywhere else, is to make sure I鈥檓 making the right decisions for the nation鈥檚 future.鈥�
WA Labor delegates will vote on a motion this afternoon on whether to change their platform in support for same-sex marriage.
If the motion is passed, WA Labor will join Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and the Northern Territory with state Labor branches that have passed motions for the Federal Government to legalise gay marriage.
While the Victorian state branch failed to pass a motion this year, it did pass a similar motion in 2009.
Benn Dorrington
Out in Perth
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She cant “imagine us apart” as a society??? Im sorry, aren’t we already at that stage??? My god woman! Its like listening to a puppet! You want religious views? How’s this then, “marriage” is now defined in no pure exclusivity between a man and woman… Western societal politics, have opened and widened the marriage “law (yes, its a political LAW) to such an extent, that my neighbor’s devil-worshipping son can marry a nun! Marriage is no more religious than your soon-to-be new husband! So stop digging yourself into a hole, and get back with the program!
It is not Gillard鈥檚 right to choose who you marry, it is your right.
It is none of Gillard鈥檚 business who you marry. Gillard is one of the great human rights abusers of this country, and she will remembered no different to those who wanted to keep the White Australia Policy.
It will take under half a day in Federal Parliament to remove all forms of discrimination and oppression against the GLTBI community. From the Federal Equal Opportunity Act, to the Marriage Act, there are just a few pieces of legislation that are referenced by thousands of others.
We have a situation where older members of our community are often denied Nursing homes, where jobs are denied, and where a couple who wants to marry cannot. We will not end this madness by Labor unless we rise and take action. From emailing your MP, to giving letter drops of 20 flyers from your home computer, against Labor pointing out the horror of health access denied to older members of our community. I can think of so many ways for us to protest, our community has the creativity to do something.
Get together with your friends and family and discuss what you can all do. Some can build websites, some can advertise in the local rags, some can go meet to local MP, some can watch the 今日吃瓜paper comments sections, some can call radio talkback, some can do Utube clips.
We will have equality with the next 10 years but only if we take part in it and make a stand. Together we can achieve victory. Have think about what you can do.
Our community has faced Bigots before. We are built of strong stuff. We have stared them down when AIDS was killing my friends. I have seen us be so great and fearless. You all have the drive and passion. Julie Gillard is a small bump on the road to equality. We must keep to the yellow brick road. We have never ever given up in our determination to make Australia a Fair Go country for all. Well now we will get on with job and get equality.
I’m 15, I’ve known I was gay for as long as I can remember. All I want in my lifetime, is to grow up having the same rights as everyone else, to be able to marry the person I love if I choose to. It really upsets me to see people I know (and many others who I don’t) who have been together, in a committed relationship for years, not given basic right to marry their partner. Not allowing same sex marriage isn’t going to stop people from being gay… It just makes you look a bigot, homophobic, douchebag who wants to deny others of their rights simply because it doesn’t suit you. Love is love, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, why can’t people just see that for what it is?
PM, if you haven’t noticed, the phobia of gay marriage is hardly different to the phobia of interracial marriage back when that was an issue. Eventually, gay marriage will be legalised in this country. It’s inevitable. It should not be taking this long to pass. I wait fondly for the day when I can see all of my closest friends marry who they choose if they choose, regardless of gender.
“What’s right for Australia” meaning that we continue to look like the idiots of civilized countries. No R18+ rating for games and no same-sex marriage. For a country bred from convicts, some of us are awfully tight about laws…
The tears of joy I felt welling whilst watching footage of the celebrations in NYC have turned into that deep sadness and disbelief in Australia’s leaders disgusting response to this issue…Shame Julia shame.
Why is Marriage for People of the same gender so important? Legally, there is absolutely nothing that a married couple has more nor less than the one as de facto. And before you wonder, I support people on doing whatever they want, including, of course, “gay marriage” (what about lesbian marriage?).
Is the social aspect? Is it to prove their belief on a system that clearly doesn’t want it?
“Moving Forward” – you’re doing it wrong.
So if on a whim Australia was to deny equal rights to brown-eyed people simply because they had brown eyes, there’d be a massive uproar, the government would be thrown out and society would rebel in the stronggest way possible. Put simply it wouldn’t fly.
But because you identify as Gay it seems that it’s OK by the government to deny you equal rights. As much a part of you as your eye colour yet treated very differently.
It’s time this government was dragged kicking and screaming into the “times” they claim we’re not behind in.
Julia sounds like Howard dogwhistling bigots over the Tampa: “We will decide who comes to Australia and the circumstances in which they come.”
She sounds like John Howard dog-whistling bigots over the Tampa “We will decide who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come.” Shameful hypocrisy.
Peter,
Stay classy pal. Perhaps we could offer free flights to all the backward-thinking bigots, then you could all live on your own little island, sneering at everybody else who isn’t living exactly how you think they should be living?
Sadly, PM Gillard, you ARE very behind the times. Heterosexism is a form of discrimination. It’s causes violence. Where we have one form of discrimination, we will have all forms – Sexism = Heterosexism = Racism = Ableism = classism = speciesism and so forth. Please stop defaulting to bigotry. And while you are at it, go vegan and stop using other animals as property. They are sentient beings, not “things”.
As someone on Twitter said: “In New York marriage equality won but the opponents of it lost nothing.”
The only difference between homosexual people and straight is who they choose to love and sometimes fashion sense. Being gay is not something people choose, people are born like that. I don’t get how gay people are being forbidden to marry the people they love, how does anybody have the right to do that? What gay people do is fine, just as what two straight people do is fine, as long as it is done between two consenting adults, Julia, you have taken a stand for women kind, proving that you don’t have to be married to get ahead, but remember how it used to be social custom for women to marry, it was almost law, and now it is law that gay people aren’t allowed to get married, if you ask me, you are taking a step back instead of forward, please think, how do gay people have any less right that you or I to choose if they get married or not, this is the 21st century for gods sake! Has nobody moved forward at all?The only difference between homosexual people and straight is who they choose to love and sometimes fashion sense. Being gay is not something people choose, people are born like that. I don’t get how gay people are being forbidden to marry the people they love, how does anybody have the right to do that? What gay people do is fine, just as what two straight people do is fine, as long as it is done between two consenting adults, Julia, you have taken a stand for women kind, proving that you don’t have to be married to get ahead, but remember how it used to be social custom for women to marry, it was almost law, and now it is law that gay people aren’t allowed to get married, if you ask me, you are taking a step back instead of forward, please think, how do gay people have any less right that you or I to choose if they get married or not, this is the 21st century for gods sake! Has nobody moved forward at all?
A little more clear thinking is a reasonable expectation we have from the Pink Press. The existing ALP conference decision in Vic supports marriage equality. This year’s conference didn’t change that position in any way.
There was no “motion” that “failed to pass”, as Ben would have it, as conference concluded before any further business could be addressed. Status Quo exists at Vic ALP level – in favour of same-gender marriage.
If the public back the push for marriage policy reform at ALP National Conference, then, as Gillard says, ‘it will be right for Australia’. Get behind and show your support for the ALP members championing this change!
The only bloody motion Julia passes unless it suit’s her is in the toilet.
This government needs to get its act together and pass gay marriage! These people have rights and needs to just ike the rest of us.
The archaic notion held by Julia that same sex marriage is inappropriate makes me feel ashamed to be an Australian.
It’s embarrassing that we’re clinging to religious beliefs in dictating the lives on others in the 21st century.
It is sad to think our leader would think discriminating its own people to be norm of society. Though it is sadder to think that South Africa and states in America would legalize same sex marriage before Australia.
So much for being an egalitarian nation.
Dear Julia,
I dislike you….
You are a single woman, living in sin… Not married and happy that way! We should also be able to make the decision to marry, we are human beings like the rest of civilization..
Congrats New York!! Im over the world for you!!
xxoo
What does marriage, gay or otherwise, have to do with a nation’s future?
Dear Julia: You stick to your digs girl you are doing everyone in australia a favour and if you put on a free flight to NY if they promise to stay we might not have to have this debate … moving forward
Remember that the motion didst get defeated in Victoria, either. Labor right walked out so the had insufficient numbers for a vote.
More widely, the ALP may not be behind the times, but Julia sure is.
Julia isn’t religious, so if that isnt the reason, it’s because shes homophobic. We have a homophobic leader whom thinks she has more rights than us. She talks about what she feels on the issue. Her positon isnt about how she feels, it’s about how her country feels, and for that she couldn’t care less. I remember a leader that disregarded what the people wanted, and viewed his own views above everyone else. His name was Adolf Hitler.
Dear Julia, I truley believe that if you were a mother of a gay child, You would be strongly for Gay marriage…You choosee not to marry but you had a choice, My son does not. he is told he cannot marry..The Love of all parents is to see thier children happy. In the here & now, its here its all real,,you are behind the times. You have lost my vote…I voted for a woman,You, because i thought Australia could do with a womans touch,Maybe i thought that out wrong, a womans touch! no! we need a mothers touch.
“Marriage” has existed since ancient times, across the world – as part of various cultures – before biblical times. It has always been recognised as a mutual agreement and union in recognition of Love and Partnership between two persons.
Why does Australia have to continue restricting itself to Christian Catholic values of matrimony?
Even the Anglican Church is considering recognising homosexual Christians. Why can’t Gillard?
I hate how every little thing is based off religion. Religion can not be proved in any way. Why base laws and regulations over something that can’t be proven?
I don’t see any harm in legalizing gay marriage. What’s the worst that could happen? Haters will attack? Yeah, right. Wake up to yourself, if you want what is right for the future, then simply say ‘Yes’ to this situation. It isn’t hard.
So is the PM saying that treating all people equally the law isn’t what’s right for Australia?
Between this and the disgraceful treatment of refugees, I am truly ashamed of this country right now.
Dear Julia: you and Tim choose not to marry. I don’t have that choice. Can you please expalin why you believe this is just or fair?