Nationals go on attack on same-sex marriage
Two National Party Senators have attacked Labor, the Greens and independent MP Tony Windsor on the issue of same-sex marriage.
Nationals Senator for NSW John Williams criticised Windsor’s announcement of support for the Greens’ Adam Bandt’s motion calling on MPs to seek their constituents views on same-sex marriage.
Williams claimed Windsor had not sought his constituents views on the need for Government policy such as the National Broadband Network or his decision to support Labor forming government.
“But the Greens come knocking on the door on gay marriage and Mr Windsor will run off to his constituents for guidance,” said Williams.
Windsor is a former National Party member who took the seat of New England from the Nationals Stuart St. Claire in 2001.
Prior to that, he held the Nationals coveted state seat of Tamworth for ten years.
“The Member for New England is playing populist politics and lacks leadership”, said Williams.
Meanwhile the Nationals’ Senator Ron Boswell has offered to take any Labor senator or Member of Parliament to a working class pub of their choosing to see if they can sell the issue of same-sex marriage to patrons.
Senator Boswell described the issue of marriage equality as a “fringe preoccupation” despite repeated polls showing a majority of Australians to be in favour of it.
“Labor is bleeding from the right and the left but seems hypnotised by the Greens,” said Boswell.
“Even the Labor left is lurching for fringe preoccupations like gay marriage to try and recover their credentials.”
“I’ll happily take any Labor Senator – or Member – to the front bar of any working class pub – so they can sell a gay marriage policy.”
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Any opinions expressed by patrons of any working class pub anywhere is NO true indication of public opinion on such sensitive issues. Bowell shows his true biased colours by way of this foolish statement. Any fool knows that working class pubs are and always have been awash with male – dominated bravado and false testosterone displays between so – called Aussie male he – men who would NEVER admit to ANY understanding of Homophobia or what it means. How the F*** do we get such drones as Boswell running our country ??
The National Party’s stance is abhorrent.
However, at least you know that’s what their stance is. It almost seems worse when politicians pretend to be gay-friendly, but act as homophobes in the parliament.
Labor’s Tanya Plibersek comes to mind. She often shows her face at LGBT events, I assume to gain pink votes.
But Plibersek refuses to publicly speak out in support of same-sex marriage (even though a number of her Labor colleagues spoke out). In fact, Plibersek’s comments have always been to proclaim that marriage should be between a man and a woman.
Politicians should only be invited to LGBT events if they have shown by their actions that they are truly supportive of equal rights. I can’t stand pretenders.
The comments above echo what many patrons are saying at the pubs I frequent across Sydney (St George/Sutherland Shire, Canterbury-Bankstown, Parramatta, Blacktown, Penrith, Eastwood, Hornsby, even Wollongong, Parkes and Dubbo.
The coalition and their supporters keep saying there are more important issues than gay marraige. There were also a lot more pressing issues when they banned in in 2004.
This is about righting a rather mean spirited wrong.
As the Two Murrays and most of their callers said on 2UE this afternoon, “Who’s it going to hurt? Nobody! Let it happen”.
Talk back radio is starting to come onside (I wont hold my breath for 2GB).
Welcome to the new paradigm.
Tony Windsor is my MP and i for one am glad that he’s doing what all politicians are suppossed to do, represent everyone in their electorate.
And maybe Ron Boswell would be interested to know that following homohobic/transphobic violence problems in one of those working class bars in ‘Evo City’ Armidale in Tony Windsprs electorate of New England there is now an anti-homophobic-violence poster up there.
Or that Armidale has a monthly queer cinema night at another.
Or that Armidale has an Equal Love Rally taking place on the 27th.
Maybe Ron doesn’t know that the ‘tree change’ in Uralla had a large number of Gay and especially Lesbian people move there.
Or that based in Tamworth is Rainbow Connections which organise social dances in the region?
Maybe Tony Windsor knows what Ron Boswell doesn’t. That there are Intersex Transgender Gay Lesbian and Bisexual people living in the New England electorate who vote.
Michael Australia
I live in the country and drink at pubs. I can tell you people say “Good on ya”, “I don’t understand what the fuss is about”, and “Fucking Bible Bashers”. I could not put it better myself. To the ordinary bloke in a Pub they are not marching in the streets against Same-Sex Marriage. They do not give a toss about some Christian wanka telling others what to do. They are at a pub you know. Not a church.
Cheers,
Dave
I fed up with these National Party bludgers taking our tax money and spewing homophobic filth in return. At any rate, I think the ladies protesteth too much.
I don’t understand what the apparent socio-economic status of the patrons of a drinking venue has to do with anything. Nor the choice of beverage of anyone else for that matter.
I’ve been in many working class front bars and haven’t experienced homophobic rejection.
So a National MP would happily assist violence (by “holding the coat”) as someone who openly supports same-sex marriage is bashed for doing so.
To the front bar of any working class pub LOL, why you insist on giving voice to such nonsense is beyond me, this is a democracy but we live in an age where such comments are viewed as nonsense.
Yay, Tony Windsor. Good on you for rising above the bigoted vitriole of populist media.