Letters – issue 1029

Letters – issue 1029

GILLARD #1

Julia, up until recently you had the support of a large chunk of the Australian gay community and probably a whole stack of voters swinging back to Labor from the Greens — all swept up in the euphoria of our first ever female PM bringing in a new era of inclusive and fair policy for the GLBT community.

Well, after your comments on gay marriage you can kiss all that goodbye!

— John

GILLARD #2

The only recent “steps to equalise treatment for gay couples” we have seen has been the swift implementation of excluding Centrelink entitlements to gay de facto partners — which means more money in Government coffers.

Julia darling, equal rights is not just about cherry picking where it suits. After the initial excitement and euphoria you have just lost my vote.

— Con

SAGE ADVICE

Should you have a medical condition that makes you unable to regulate your body temperature, (this can be the case for some folk with HIV and many other conditions) and hold an electricity account, and are also a Centrelink pensioner, or have a health care card, or any of the Department of Veterans Affairs cards, you may be eligible for a rebate from your energy provider.

To gain this rebate, call your energy provider for a Medical Energy Rebate Form then visit your GP to get his section filled and send in said form. Hope this make some people’s struggles easier.

— Ulo

ADOPTION #1

A ‘conscience vote’ on what is clearly in the best interests of the stability of children (‘Keneally: Love us or hate us?’, www.ssonet.com.au).

Study after study has shown that adoption is a better option than fostering for many children as it provides security and stability (as well as legal rights). The ALP and Libs are completely disgusting in allowing this to be decided on the ‘conscience’ of their MPs.

Both parties should be supporting this unequivocally and taking disciplinary action on any member who votes against party lines. This is nothing but a hedged bet by both parties to win gay votes while not alienating conservative votes.  You’ll get no thanks from me, Ms Keneally, and Mr O’Farrell isn’t any better.

— John

ADOPTION #2

It’s better to have someone like Keneally as NSW Premier — who is torn between the dogma of her Catholic faith and a realisation that gay people have as much worth as heterosexuals — than a doctrinaire fanatic of the Pell or Nile variety.

It might be better for Lee Rhiannon to be premier. But she’s not and, as a Greens MP, she can promise gays the world.

The reality is the ALP led by Keneally is in power in NSW. So Keneally’s party and the Coalition need to be convinced same-sex parents deserve respect and legal rights.

— David

REGISTER #1

This legislation creates a bit of a dilemma for gay people, don’t you think?

I am 72 and I suspect I will never see gay marriage in this country in my lifetime. (What about those Icelanders with their unanimous parliament vote for gay marriage. Wow, how civilised!)

However, this legislation reminds me a bit like throwing crumbs to dogs and watching as they eagerly sniff out each small morsel and I would not register.

I opted out of federal and state politics some years ago as a protest to politicians who refuse to ‘normalise’ me. These days I front up on polling days, have my name ticked off, and then inscribe on the ballot papers ‘No gay rights — no vote — that simple’.

You may think this is defeatist but let me tell you I feel great every time I do it. Imagine what a stir it would cause at the next federal election if all gay Aussies did the same thing.

— Peter

REGISTER #2

The problem with all of these relationship registries is that the legislation disallows registration if a person is married.

My husband and I were married in South Africa. Our marriage is not recognised here, however, the fact that we are legally married means we are not allowed to register our relationship  without denying that we are married, something we will not do.

We need another law that specifically recognises overseas marriages as a relationship in Australia — once again ‘separate but equal’ proves to be unequal.

The only real solution is full recognition of same-sex marriage. Anything else is a way of saying that gays are second-class citizens.

— Sean

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2 responses to “Letters – issue 1029”

  1. We deserve the right to choose. Yes, marriage may be a heterosexual ritual, an outdated relic of past church teachings and as such something many non monogamous gays see as something they do not want to touch with a ten foot pole. But not allowing same sex couples the right to choose it, if they so desire, is simply discrimination based on sexual preference. Nothing more and nothing less. Everyone should have their right to choose what is right for them.
    We have made many strides – perhaps Keating and the cricket tragic went not such bad governments, after all – but we must not stop short of 100% equality and we must not allow people like Penny Wong and Julia Gillard to subject us to their interpretations of what we should settle for.

    At this point we have nothing to lose by voting Green, and let them know exactly why we are doing it and what we expect in return for doing so.

  2. Julia is the architypal Gay.
    She appears to be very consistant is rejecting marriage for the GLBT community. Perhaps she is saying that the ideal life style is “Living in sin with one’s Hairdresse BF” and is prohibiting the GLBT community from seeking a lesser livestyle of monogamy. Perhaps she is saying that expressing one’s personality in individuality is preferable to expressing it in a duality. No LBD for our Julia.