Making a move for marriage
New year’s resolutions are easy to make and even easier to break, but marriage equality advocates are asking the community to make one promise they won’t break.
Lobby group the Australian Marriage Equality (AME) is calling on members of the community to make a new year’s resolution to meet their local MP in 2011 to discuss why they believe gay and lesbian couples should have the right to marry.
AME national convener Alex Greenwich said 2011 would be a critical year from the issue and believes personal contact with MP’s will make a difference.
“Opponents of marriage equality are highly organised, well-resourced and determined. Not only do they seek to impose their religious ideas on everyone else, but they do not respect the religious freedom of those church celebrants who want to marry same-sex partners,” Greenwich said.
“If equality is to be achieved it’s time for couples, parents, siblings, friends and celebrants to make their views known to their local MPs”.
AME has set up a new web page which allows people from all over Australia to arrange a meeting with their local MP.
“In years to come we will all look back at 2011 as the year when Australia took a historic stand for equality,” Greenwich said.
info: Visit www.australianmarriageequality.com
response I received from Anthony Albanese today.. do you think they are getting the message ??? I do not doubt that Alabanese, personally, is supportive of our cause, but is that in itself enough? Still not quite convinced that he and Wong would not follow their leaders preference of no gay marriage. I know where the Greens stand and what they are DOING, as opposed to what Albanese is implying…
Dear David,
Thank you for your email with your views on same-sex marriage and congratulations on becoming a citizen. I assure you I have been fighting for equality for same-sex couples since I was elected to Federal Parliament in 1996.
In my first speech to Parliament I spoke about discrimination. I took action.
On five separate occasions, I introduced the first ever Private Members Bill to remove discrimination on the basis of sexuality, the Superannuation (Entitlements of Same Sex Couples) Bill, to the House of Representatives.
When speaking to that Bill in Parliament, I said “This is an issue of human rights. Equal rights, regardless of sexuality, is as fundamental human right as equal rights, regardless of class, gender or ethnicity.”
In 2008, this reform was delivered by the Federal Labor Government as well as reform to remove same-sex discrimination from over 80 Commonwealth laws.
These changes followed an audit of Commonwealth laws to identify areas of discrimination followed by legislation.
Areas where discrimination was removed included taxation, superannuation, social security, health, aged care, veterans’ entitlements, workers compensation, and employment entitlements.
I understand your disappointment about marriage. Labor’s platform calls for the opportunity for all couples who have a mutual commitment to a shared life to have their relationship officially recognised. This platform was decided at the last National Conference, where Labor policy is debated.
Phillip Coorey recognised in a recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald “Albanese and Wong had ensured that the policy, without explicitly stating it, supported civil unions. Their aim was to seek explicit approval at the next conference. The end goal is gay marriage.” (http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/labor-on-a-steady-path-to-samesex-weddings-20101121-182hh.html).
At the last ALP National Conference I said “the issue of equality for all is something that is unstoppable and consistent with our great party leading those reforms.”
I will continue to be a strong advocate of reform for equality for same-sex couples.
Yours sincerely,
Anthony Albanese
Federal Member for Grayndler
Sent: Tuesday, 16 November 2010 4:26 PM
To: Albanese, Anthony (MP)
Subject: Please Support Marriage Equality!
As one of Australia’s newest citizens , and a voter in your electorate, please be advised that I hope you will support and get passed, legislation to approve GAY MARRIAGE.
Well owen, how the lives of some are controlled by their beliefs, can someone out there please reinforce that a 10 year relationship with my male partner is important , fun , loving, caring and above all free of bitchiness. As for the prison sentence part because of the freedom we give one another to do what we choose with our free time brings up closer together as a couple.
Marriage will only be a prison sentence if you allow it to be. Spend some time getting to know someone, you will be surprised.
My love and I are looking forward to getting married.
Weddings are a fantasy, marriage is a prison sentence (this post has no religious influence btw)