Marriage equality opponent Sophie York running for senate

Marriage equality opponent Sophie York running for senate
Image: Photo: Facebook / Sophie York.

Marriage Alliance spokesperson Sophie York has announced she will be the Australian Conservatives lead senate candidate in New South Wales.

During last year’s marriage equality postal survey, the Marriage Alliance was among the major lobby groups fighting against the right for same-sex couples to marry.

York previously ran for a position in the New South Wales Parliament for the Liberal Party, Out in Perth has reported.

She vocally fought marriage equality, appearing alongside ‘Political Posting Mumma’ Marijke Rancie in the No campaign’s advertisements that claimed same-sex marriage would lead to “radical gender ideas” being taught in schools.

York also opposed Airbnb’s ‘Until We All Belong’ campaign, saying that its rings in support of marriage equality were “bullying”.

She was memorably roasted by comedian John Oliver for her suggestion that same-sex marriage could instead be called “garriage”.

York said she had moved from the Liberal Party to the Australian Conservatives because of its “common sense policies”.

“The Senate, as Australia’s house of review, is such a vital part of our federal government and I am truly honoured to have been selected by the Conservatives as their lead senate candidate for New South Wales,” she said.

“I’m very keen to serve my nation and my state in the parliament under the banner of a party in which I believe and one that actually holds true to principled, common sense policies that I’m very passionate about.”

The Australian Conservatives party was founded by prominent marriage equality opponent Cory Bernardi, who claimed during the debate that same-sex marriage would lead to legalised polygamy and bestiality.

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5 responses to “Marriage equality opponent Sophie York running for senate”

  1. These neo-fascists won’t stop until they get the Secular Australian Marriage Act changed back to deny our community Equal Rights. When I read/hear of people expressing their extremist views I always winder what it is they are trying to hide.
    The blatant homophobia of Cory Bernardi, Shelton and this Sophie York is extreme – like all extremists they will deny it and claim that “Some of my best friends are Homosexuals/Black/Asian/Muslim/Buddhist etc.”
    What is it in their own lives that they are so afraid of being revealed?
    NSW has the biggest GLBTIQ Community in Australia.
    It is their responsibility at the 2019 Federal Election to make sure they vote BELOW the Line on the Senate Paper. If there are 80 Senate Candidates then start numbering from 80 giving this lot of fascists 80, 79, 78 etc. That will almost certainly Guarantee none of them will get elected.
    Want to stop these people? Then you just have to take the time to stop them.
    Maybe the Mardi Gras organisation could publish a sort of “How to Vote” card showing the GLBTIQ Community how to put these people last without making any other political advice?
    If you vote the easy way : Above the line then the chances are York and Co will have done some sleazy preference deal with one or other – or even both – of the major parties. Just be careful that you don’t inadvertently elect those who hate us.

  2. 1) Polygamy is consensual between adults and none of your business, yorkie.

    2) Bestiality is non-consensual and therefore is illegal.

    The concept of “*consent” eludes conservatives, for some reason?

    These “supposedly” straight, self-proclaimed-highly-moral folks sure do think about gay sex, animal sex, and multiple partner sex waaaaaaaaaaaay more than anyone else.

    Funny, hey?

  3. The Australian Conservatives signature policy is reopening the marriage equality debate. They’re not running Lyle Shelton and Sophie York because they’re known for their ideas about corporate taxes, it’s because their number one agenda is re-opening a debate which a massive majority of Australians (including many No voters) are happy to put behind them.

    The Australian Conservatives have one vote currently in the Parliament. When the NZ Conservatives ran on a platform of re-opening the marriage debate in NZ, they went from one to zero parliamentarians. It’s a proven loser of a policy.

  4. The Australian Conservatives political party make Pauline Hansons One Nation look LGBTI friendly in comparison.

    • The polls suggested that about half of PHON voters voted Yes last year. That’s less than the national result of course, but it’s higher than one might expect. The fact is a lot of PHON voters are Libertarians and support marriage equality, relaxing drug laws etc. The Australian Conservatives are trying to build a following among people who support economically liberal yet socially conservative policies. The number of folks who tick that box who aren’t already traditional rusted-on Liberals is tiny (eg John Howard will not swap from Liberal to Australian Conservative, even Trump isn’t opposing marriage equality).

      If I sold my soul and wanted to get elected by anti-marriage-equality voters into Parliament, the last thing I’d do is run for the Australian Conservatives. Look at where the biggest No votes came from – they came from electorates where even people with conservative social values prioritise their support for interventionist economic policies, not liberal economic policy, and thus elect Labor MPs despite them supporting marriage equality. They also come from electorates with lots of non-Anglo voters while the Australian Conservatives prioritise Anglos. A DLP-type candidate or even a Mark Latham who is socially conservative but economically interventionist might stand a chance, someone who hates freedom for gay folks but loves corporate tax cuts and slashing welfare has zero hope of getting a Senate quota.

      In short, Tony Abbott’s electorate (very representative of the votes the Australian Conservatives are chasing) voted Yes by a roughly 80-20 margin. You could safely say that 97 percent of that demographic do not want this issue re-opened. The Australian Conservatives are, bluntly, complete morons.