Double push for marriage
Australian Marriage Equality has launched two parliamentary petitions to remind politicians the demand for same-sex marriage isn’t going away.
AME national convenor Peter Furness said they were hoping for 10,000 signatures to start, and the petitions -” one to the Senate and one to the House of Representatives -” would be separate from submissions to the current Senate committee inquiry into marriage equality.
Many of the submissions are marked confidential, can only be read by members of the committee and other senators. It doesn’t affect the members of the House of Representatives. This petition can go directly to those MPs, Furness told Sydney Star Observer.
Even though the submissions can be small, some people aren’t comfortable writing a submission, but they’ll sign a petition. This is another way for people to make a direct connection to their politicians.
Petitions can be a continual reminder. You can lodge your [initial] signatures in Parliament, then a month later you can lodge some more. It’s a mechanism by which you can constantly raise an issue.
Opponents of same-sex marriage have had a petition running since 2004, lodging small batches of signatures several times a year, which were then tabled by senators and MPs.
If we put our minds to it, we can beat them in terms of numbers and the rate in which we hand them in. It also gives an opportunity to MPs to express their support for equal marriage by tabling them and sometimes speaking to it, Furness said.
info: AME’s petitions can be downloaded from www.australianmarriageequality.org.au/petition.htm but must be printed and filled out by hand. AME has asked for the initial signatures to be mailed to them by September 30.
The correct address for the petition is:
http://www.australianmarriageequality.com/petition.htm
In 2010, I am voting Greens!!!!
I would like to thank everyone at Australian Marriage Equality, and the people who do small things around Australia, to keep the push for equality alive in all its forms.
When I see Labors leader meeting with Hate Groups such as the Australian Christian Lobby, I am reminded they are the minority, and do not represent the vast majority of Australians. Even many of the redneck radio host and editors have joined our long march. This is due to the efforts of people like you who took a stand for all of us.
Our community is on about love and tolerance, not hate and vilification such as the ALC or Kevin Rudd.
In time people will look back in history and say “How could people of every been so cruel”.
I have heard of people using facebook, writing to editors, ringing radio stations, and writing to there local MP’s and even councillors. All letting them know that we matter, or pointing out some fault in there approach to us. It is important to keep doing this.
History is on our side. The long march we are on is gathering more people everyday. Victory will soon be ours if we can keep the momentum up.
Thanks everyone!