Janet Rice’s motion on Chechnya shut down in Senate
A MOTION introduced by Greens Senator Janet Rice condemning the persecution of gay and bisexual men in Chechnya has been refused a vote in the Senate by the federal government.
The motion called on the government to work with other UN nations on a UN resolution condemning the Chechen government and to be prepared to take gay and bisexual refugees from Chechnya.
It also asked the government to cut any trade and diplomatic links with Chechnya that Australia may have.
However, the government denied formality and stymied a vote, reasoning that it didn’t vote on matters of foreign policy and wouldn’t be able to agree on the wording.
“I am extremely disappointed that the government has denied formality on this important notion,” Senator Rice said in parliament.
“I note that our foreign minister has raised this issue with the Russian government and commend her for doing so, but there is a lot more action that needs to be taken.”
Spokesperson for just.equal Rodney Croome said the government’s decision to not allow a vote highlighted its inaction on the rights of LGBTI people.
“The Government’s excuse that it doesn’t vote on matters of foreign policy and it couldn’t agree on wording will be cold comfort to gay and bisexual men being rounded up and executed in Chechnya,” he said.
“It’s particularly disappointing that Malcolm Turnbull hasn’t said a word about this crisis, unlike other heads of government such as Angela Merkel.”
Melbourne will hold a vigil in solidarity with gay and bisexual men in Chechnya on Tuesday 16 May.
I got here via “All out” I am interested in our government that represents all interests and the full spectrum of cultures. Therefore i am interested in the mechanism employed by government to stop the motion from any consideration at all.
Well done Janet Rice!
Typical Federal Government. Tony Abbott may have been dumped but his homophobia and that of Herr Erich Abetz, George Christensen and others still thrives. the neo-Fascists still hold sway. It is no wonder they are so far behind in the Polls!
It is time Turnbull took a leaf out of the results of the French presidential Election which proved beyond any doubt by a margin of almost 50 to 1 that decent, ordinary people reject extremism of any sort. Be it the Ultra-Left of some within the ALP or the Ultra-Right of the Nationals and some Liberals and, politically, are Centrist.
Is Turnbull’s failure to comment on this crisis in any way related to his new besty Donald Trump, Trump’s besty Uncle Vlad Putin and Putin’s puppets in Chechnya and his obsessively anti-gay agenda? Perhaps Turnbull thinks bagging out the Russians is too Tony Abbott for his liking? I don’t normally get conspiratorial but the world is an increasingly strange place and that’s not good news for minorities of any description.
Thank you anyway janet. Get these heartless bastards out of power