Marriage equality un-Australian: Gillard
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has declared that marriage rights for same-sex couples are incompatible with Australian culture and heritage one day after hundreds demanded their rights in Sydney and Brisbane.
“I do find myself on the conservative side in this question … because of the way our society is and how we got here,” Gillard told Sky News on Sunday.
“There are some important things from our past that need to continue to be part of our present and part of our future.”
When asked if she was expressing a personal view or what she thought Australians wanted to hear, Gillard said she would have said the same thing had she never entered politics, pitching herself as a social conservative.
“I had a pro-union pro-Labor upbringing in a quite conservative family in the sense of personal values,” Gillard said.
“If I was in a different walk of life, if I’d continued in the law and was a partner of a law firm now, I would express the same view.
“I think for our culture, for our heritage, the Marriage Act and marriage being between a man and a woman has a special status … I know that people might look at me and think that’s something that they wouldn’t necessarily expect me to say but that is what I believe.
“I’m on the record as saying things like I think it’s important that people understand their Bible stories. Not because I’m an advocate of religion — clearly I’m not — but once again, what comes from the Bible has formed such an important part of our culture.”
Only the day before crowds of around 400 gathered at the Sydney Town Hall before marching to Taylor Square and in Brisbane’s Queen Park.
In Sydney, speakers from New Mardi Gras, Australian Marriage Equality urged people to contact their MPs and lobby them directly, while Greens MLC Cate Faehrmann warned of the danger of a conservative-controlled Upper House after the NSW state election.
“The influence of people like Fred Nile and the Christian Democratic party may only get stronger after this election,” Faehrmann said.
“What we’re hearing is that not only will the Coalition probably win government but they may also win control of the Upper House with the support of the Christian Democratic Party and the Shooters and Fishers. The only way to stop that is to make sure that everyone you know votes progressive in the Upper House. That’s probably more important than what you do with your Lower House vote.”
Faehrmann and Sydney MP Clover Moore both pledged to introduce legislation to create marriage equality at a state level if the federal Government failed to act.
I think what you guys are saying is horrible, it is simply hypocritical all talking about respect for all humans while still maintaining Julia Gillard is a Bitch, it is disguting to see such rude language directed toward someone who trys to make Australia a better place & HAVE SOME RESPECT FOR OUR PM whether you agree with her ideas or not!
Same sex marriage is unAustralian, male to male sex is not very popular among straight males in this country, God Himself hates it and if this is passed in the Parliament, Satan, will have obtained a foothold over this nation, resulting in more natural disasters and an economic collapse, you might want this but I definately don’t, its fair to say that the ALP have handed, Tony Abbott, the 2013 Election victory on a gold plate, very stupid.
Gillard chose to use the language of hate surrounding the hysteria of AIDS in the 80’s with the “Go look up the Bible for the lessons on that sort of thing” comments.
Whatever happened to the separation of state and religion?
If she want people understand the bibles, then she should’ve marry her boyfriend before live together with him, according to bible living with someone without married is a sin or should we say “un-Australian”. She is a hypocrite.
I can’t believe a PM in a developed country gave such a stupid comment…!
Do not worry we will win. The stupid comments by Gillard mean so much oxygen is going to be taken away from her media time, talking about this over and over and over. For what other Bible stories does she want people to follow?
It will hurt Labor in the long run, it will damage them in the polls, it will show the cruelty of Labor to all.
The crazy comments by Gillard will cost her the leadership as others will be able to build a case against her within the party and outside of it.
Who can blame anyone for knocking on her office door at night and taking the leadership Gillard style!
what the hell is that woman thinking? i’m ashamed to share a hair colour with her. in my opinion who we as australians marry, same sex or not, is our own business. we need a new PM. I thought it was a landmark in history that a female was elected PM, but now i want a do-over. she doesnt deserve that honour. i didn’t vote in the last election taking a stand against this pathetic excuse of a democracy, but i definitely will in the next. that bitch is going DOWN!
Hi everyone it’s me again, this time on the lighter side. I found a great overview on google why gay marriage is also “un-American”, I think our PM must have been getting some insights into the problem areas – happy reading:
(1) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.
(2) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.
(3) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.
(4) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn’t changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can’t marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.
(5) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britany Spears’ 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.
(6) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn’t be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren’t full yet, and the world needs more children.
(7) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.
(8) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That’s why we have only one religion in America.
(9) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That’s why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.
(10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven’t adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.
Julia has said the most “un-Australian” thing imaginable about all queer people she could have come up with. Having said what she said she should suffer the consequences of her own words. Denying queers of basic human rights is a strong afront to all our community. Action should be taken. I would encourage all of our community in all its forms and variations to never ever vote for such contingencies with views stuck in the dark ages. This is not a question of political affiliations, or religious morals, it is a question of voicing views which encourage and promote homophobia in our society. It is no wonder that gay violence continues unabated, it is no wonder the police still target gays, it is no wonder hardly any prominent figures in our corporate world out themselves. Take action, don’t just comment. I can honestly and vocally say I will never ever vote for Labor, until views such as Julia’s change. She does not represent me.
Bible stories is exactly what they are-stories. I wonder if a child of hers ‘came out’ would she still have the same ideals and beliefs?
Would she throw them out onto the streets because they didn’t meet her standard of ‘culture’ or would she just have them put down!
“Gillard, wake up and open your eyes”.
This person runs our country?
Goddess help us all
Homosexual couples are recognised by Centrelink and benefits are raised or lowered, according to what the partner earns. Why is this allowed, yet they are not legally able to recognise that partnership with all the other benefits marriage brings?
All couples are deserving of equality. Regardless of what an old book says. Regardless of what closed-minded people still think. They are part of society and the community… and deserve to be treated as such.
well if she thinks its out of the Australian culture, what the hell is mateship? Its an excuse for men to truly love each other in all that complexity… but then she’s a woman. and what is the Gay-FL but an exuse to wear tiny shorts on telly, to the excitement of everyone, I’m still not sure of the rules, and I’ve been watching it for ages.
Julia needs cultural reprogramming, in my opinion.
Is it so that the Atheist PM Julia Gillard can now pick and choose her religious morals to suit her party line? I would say that she is ignorant and two faced. This is a woman living as an Atheist with no issues pertaining to her own lifestyle… So what is wrong with mine exactly?
A self confessed Atheist quoting from the bible?
Was the self confession a lie like everything else that comes out of her mouth? What other lies has she told to get to be where she is?
It’s obvious she’s being hypocrital, but the thing that really grates with me is the manner in which she says “no”. It sounds so personal. Bring back Rudd – he couldn’t be any more inept than Gillard.
on that logic, it’s probably also ‘incompatible with Australian culture and heritage’ to have a female prime minister
‘Does She remember saying this…
Quote:-
“I welcome everyone gathered in Sydney for Mardi Gras, a great opportunity to acknowledge the contribution of gay and lesbian people to the life of our nation.’
So if that’s the case, the least we deserve is to be able to get married in a government registry office like any other tax payer. (not to mention that a number of religions DO actually want to marry us as well).
The worst thing though is that her cold hearted justification has opened the floodgates of legitimate government sponsored homophobia, bigotry, and entrenched 2nd class citizenship, and yet more GLBT youth suicide from bullying. On ya Julia!
Holy Mary ….
What? She’s quoting the bible when she doesn’t even believe in it? Gillard is digging herself into a hole with this like Howard did with the stolen generations apology. It’s a weak, stubborn, incoherent position as well as being stupid politically. It’ll be interesting to see if she has to change her position after the ALP conference. I switched my vote from Labor to Greens at the last election and I’ll never return to Labor as long as this crap continues.
She talks about moving forward well take two steps back gillard and turn around and go back to where you came from the dark ages
the red headed clown chooses not to marry her partner… and dictates to us that we cannot marry ours?? uumm… anyone else think something is out of joint here?
Does She remember saying this…
Quote:-
“I welcome everyone gathered in Sydney for Mardi Gras, a great opportunity to acknowledge the contribution of gay and lesbian people to the life of our nation.
I am proud that an event which began as a protest against injustice has become a celebration of freedom and equality, marking how far we have come as a society in just 3 decades.”
Take the old testament literally and you are urged to hate people with darker skin, marry your siblings (hello, how did Cain and Able procreate without their Mum Eve!?) and keep your wife behind closed doors away and under a tree when she’s menstruating! Anyway, last time I checked, when their Jesus came along he created a clean slate, a blank canvas! I’m not a Christian at all but even I know that Jesus, if he was around today, would be hanging out with us homos, sex workers and junkies!
Oh yeah and let’s definitely perpetuate the views of the past! Let’s remove the right to vote for women and let’s categorise the Indigenous community as ‘Fauna’…may as well start promoting smoking cigarettes as a healthy alternative too!
Boo hiss to your Gillard! You’ve lost my vote!
Okay, so some people think that gay marriage is just gay people replicating heterosexual norms. Fine. But perhaps don’t spoil it for everyone huh?
Then there are others who want to take us back to the dark past of history and use the bible as a reason why gay people should not be allowed to marry. One of those is the current Prime Minister of the land known as Australia.
I’m divided over whether there is some aspect of her job she does not understand (to represent all Australians) or whether she is just plain evil.
Jesus loves you my children! This bitch that is quoting the bible in my name for political reasons will burn in hell.
She just lost my vote !
I can understand where she is commming from even though she claims she is an athiest. She can change her views but it wont happen over night.
So far there has not been an prime minister that have openly supported gay marriage. These prime ministers grew up in era where homosexuals were in the closet.
There are lots of traditions that need to be abandoned because they are inherently evil. Slavery was traditional throughout the greater part of human history – it was expressly condoned in the Torah, the Bible and the Quran – but would we use that argument to reinstate it today????
The traditional Australian response to Gillard’s comments on this issue so far would be: “Bullshit!”