Much yet to be done

Congratulations to the Rudd government for its historic reforms which, within one year of the 2007 election, have achieved more for same-sex rights than the previous 11 years of Coalition government.

Nonetheless, the fundamentalists have infiltrated many politicians’ brains so successfully that popular thinking in Australia is well ahead of our political leadership in ending discrimination based on sexuality.

We know that a majority of 57 percent in Australia want the ban on same-sex marriage ended. In case anyone still thinks this is a daring breakthrough, it is already the law in Catholic Spain (that sent the Vatican into apoplexy), Canada, South Africa and the US state of Massachusetts to name a few.

I was stunned when before the 2004 election Labor shadow minister Nicola Roxon told a huge cheering crowd of anti-gay-equality activists in Parliament House that Labor was moving with then Prime Minister Howard’s intention to legislate to ban same-sex marriage. Rudd Labor holds firm in 2008.

It is also high time that our anti-discrimination laws were extended to cover sexuality.

For example, it is worth noting that whilst the new workplace laws prohibit employment discrimination on the grounds of sexual preference, discrimination is still allowed if it is, -¦ in accordance with the doctrines, tenets, beliefs or teachings of a particular religion or creed … This exemption panders to religious bigotry. Nationally consistent legislation which prohibits all discrimination on the basis of sexual preference is essential.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has taken over Kerry Nettle’s good work in promoting the rights of GLBTI people in Australia for the Greens. She is doing a great job for this portfolio. But there is a lot yet to be done, and at the ballot box a vote for either of the old parties is a vote for lingering significant discrimination.