Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott unmoved by NZ decision to allow gay marriage
21 replies, posted
[QUOTE]Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she won't be moved from her stance against gay marriage despite New Zealand passing legislation allowing same sex couples to tie the knot.
Asked by a member of the public at a community cabinet in Melbourne on Wednesday night why Australia lagged behind New Zealand in legalising gay marriage, Ms Gillard said she would not be changing her mind on the issue.
''I doubt we're going to end up agreeing,'' Ms Gillard said.
She told the community cabinet at Ringwood that Labor has allowed a conscience vote on the matter.
As Ms Gillard was speaking at Ringwood, a conscience vote in New Zealand parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill with a convincing 77-44 vote.
New Zealand is the 13th country to legalise gay marriage and the first in the Asia-Pacific.
The Greens greeted the news from New Zealand by saying the party would introduce legislation when parliament resumes in May that would ensure Australia recognises the marriages of gay couples who wed overseas.
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said on Thursday that the ''sad thing'' about New Zealand legalising same-sex marriage is that Australian gay couples would wed there only to ''leave their marriage at the customs gate'' when they return to Australia.
''We are happy for our New Zealand cousins but we want to see it here,'' Senator Hanson-Young said.
When comment was sought on the NZ development from Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, his office pointed to a previous interview in which he reiterated that while Coalition policy stated that marriage was between a man and a woman, MPs would not be
allowed a conscience vote on this issue.
Last year, an attempt to legalise gay marriage failed in the Australian parliament, with Ms Gillard opposed to the move, and Mr Abbott refusing Coalition MPs a conscience vote.
On Thursday, Mr Abbott was asked again about same-sex marriage and said it was ''decisively rejected'' last year.
''We had a parliamentary vote on this just a few months ago and it was fairly decisively rejected. That's what this parliament had done,'' Mr Abbott said.[/QUOTE]
Read more: [url]http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/gillard-abbott-unmoved-by-nz-gay-marriage-vote-20130417-2i0sv.html#ixzz2QnNSSz6I[/url]
Bastards.
Fucking ridiculous. Our government doesn't represent the people because the people are morons and keep voting this assholes back into office
Did Julia Gillard ever state her reasoning for this in the first place?
I will never marry a handsome rugged aussie now
What a bitch and cunt.
[QUOTE=Glorbo;40323556]Did Julia Gillard ever state her reasoning for this in the first place?[/QUOTE]
She's lived with a guy for ages without marrying, why can't everyone else?
That's actually it. I'm not even joking. That's pretty much what she has said.
Tony Abbott is just scared of gay people.
That isn't a joke either. That's pretty much what he has said.
This, the asylum seekers, health, jobs and economic issues is what will make or break the upcoming election.
There might even be a stalemate possible.
I think both sides need to consider the opinions the vast amount of younger voters who will be voting for the first time this year (including myself).
Instead of leaving it up to parliament, why not let the people vote? Oh right, it would be legalized if it were up to the people.
Classic Julia and Tony.
[QUOTE=ksenior;40323545]Bastards.
Fucking ridiculous. Our government doesn't represent the people because the people are morons and keep voting this assholes back into office[/QUOTE]
True, but technically we didn't vote Gillard in, we voted the party she represents in.
[QUOTE=shutter_eye5;40323873]This, the asylum seekers, health, jobs and economic issues is what will make or break the upcoming election.
There might even be a stalemate possible.
I think both sides need to consider the opinions the vast amount of younger voters who will be voting for the first time this year (including myself).[/QUOTE]
Tony has won as long as he doesn't do anything stupid. Hung parliament is not about to happen again.
The current government has a communication problem. They've made mistakes but generally done a good job. They won't get elected again because they can't beat the Liberal/Nationals relentless pressure, even when Labour is wholly right on the matter. Tony gets more air time. Doesn't matter if he is right or wrong or pushing a fallacious argument, if he doesn't say "Jews should die" or something he wins.
Both parties suck and Greens aren't the best, I'm voting Australian Sex Party.
Vote for Labour. Trust me. They aren't going to win, nor is the Sex Party, but if we can get a hung parliament back both parties will immediately reshuffle leaders (liberals drop Tony because he didn't pull off the landslide he should have, Labour drops Julia because whoever replaces Tony is probably actually going to be good). Then we can start again at the subsequent election.
[QUOTE=gerbe1;40323999]Vote for Labour. Trust me. They aren't going to win, nor is the Sex Party, but if we can get a hung parliament back both parties will immediately reshuffle leaders (liberals drop Tony because he didn't pull off the landslide he should have, Labour drops Julia because whoever replaces Tony is probably actually going to be good). Then we can start again at the subsequent election.[/QUOTE]
...or independents can play their favourites ending up in a minority Government (2010).
[QUOTE=Bradyns;40324006]...or independents can play their favourites ending up in a minority Government (2010).[/QUOTE]
Yeah yeah that is what will happen. That is what I want. They will still drop the leaders because they're both $#!7.
[QUOTE=ksenior;40323545]Our government doesn't represent the people because the people are morons and keep voting this assholes back into office[/QUOTE]
Uhm. That's actually a perect representation of the people, in that case. If people are idiots, they are gonna vote for idiots, who are gonna represent their idiocy idiotically. So if you feel they're running the place due to idiots, then the system works perfectly and as intended.
[editline]18th April 2013[/editline]
Oh yeah, Gillard and Abbott are idiots and all that, y'know, obligatory this-kind-of-thread stuff.
they are both butt cheeks on the ass that is australian politics.
[QUOTE=gerbe1;40323912]Tony has won as long as he doesn't do anything stupid. Hung parliament is not about to happen again.
The current government has a communication problem. They've made mistakes but generally done a good job. They won't get elected again because they can't beat the Liberal/Nationals relentless pressure, even when Labour is wholly right on the matter. Tony gets more air time. Doesn't matter if he is right or wrong or pushing a fallacious argument, if he doesn't say "Jews should die" or something he wins.[/QUOTE]
You do have a point. I for one think though if Labour retains power, I'd like a complete reshuffle of the cabinet. Especially for the Treasury. (Preferably someone who knows how the economy works and knows the current economic trends.)
You know, with all this bullshit about gay marriage I really don't see gay couples, or even openly gay people, that often. It's so weird such a small part of the population gets so much attention
[QUOTE=shutter_eye5;40326016]You do have a point. I for one think though if Labour retains power, I'd like a complete reshuffle of the cabinet. Especially for the Treasury. (Preferably someone who knows how the economy works and knows the current economic trends.)[/QUOTE]
How much of a dickhead is Wayne Swan? Like, what the hell guy? The way he answers questions and things is alone enough to make him deserve the boot. He always spins everything it's ridiculous.
Mind you, Joe Hockey? He's all right, but not as treasurer. He's just as incompetent.
Complete cabinet reshuffle is required on both sides, they are both made up of old hacks who started fifty years ago.
[QUOTE=Nebukadnezzar;40326090]You know, with all this bullshit about gay marriage I really don't see gay couples, or even openly gay people, that often. It's so weird such a small part of the population gets so much attention[/QUOTE]
In part because society is oppressive and "coming out" is a thing most people struggle to do. Like any oppressed minority our plight is a valid one. The damage done to LGBT groups is insane through simple things like no gay marriage. It really pushes down on teenagers who are struggling to come to terms with their sexuality and mental problems galore are born of it.
The reason we get the headlines is because the solution is pretty straight forward and would add significant amounts to life span, general health and wellbeing and societal contribution of LGBT people if there is just general legal equality.
This "bullshit" is actually a straightforward solution to a problem in society that people oppose because... well they don't have a legitimate reason.
[QUOTE=Nebukadnezzar;40326090]You know, with all this bullshit about gay marriage I really don't see gay couples, or even openly gay people, that often. It's so weird such a small part of the population gets so much attention[/QUOTE]
That's because, when they do display "gay" behavior in public they get harassed, in some places more then others, for example, that man who got beaten up in Paris not to long ago because he held hands with his boyfriend.
[img]http://i.imgur.com/oIXFE.jpg[/img]
Basically this. Except one has red hair.
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