Human Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson’s call for marriage equality but respect for religions

Human Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson’s call for marriage equality but respect for religions

HUMAN Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson has today made reference to Martin Place siege victim Tori Johnson in a plea for Australia’s parliamentarians to give the green light to same-sex marriage.

But in comments that have dismayed a marriage equality advocate, Wilson questioned whether it would be right to penalise people who might choose not to work at same-sex ceremonies due to a religious belief.

In a wide ranging speech at the National Press Club in Canberra this afternoon, Wilson, who is openly gay, said it was hypocritical for governments to expect all citizens to contribute equally but then arbitrarily deny some their equal rights.

“Every day gay and lesbian Australians are expected to fulfil their civil obligations,” he said.

“They’ve paid their taxes, worked, volunteered in civil society, fought and died in battle, and fallen to save others at Port Arthur and Martin Place.

“They’ve met their responsibilities; shouldn’t they get their civil rights too?”

Johnson, the manager of the Martin Place Lindt café, was one of two people who died in December’s siege.

Wilson said that while marriage was a “time-tested and valuable institution,” it was strong enough to withstand change.

However, the commissioner said the issue had been raised with him about the consequences for religious freedom should same-sex marriage be legalised.

“There is concern that if the law changes, civil celebrants, venues and photographers will face fines if they don’t participate in weddings they disagree with, as has occurred in the United States,” he said.

“I do not think that is constructive way forward.”

Wilson, whose portfolio also includes sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex rights, also said state governments should cease forcing married couples to divorce if one subsequently undergoes gender reassignment and chooses to have this reflected on official documentation.

“We should never be using the law to break resilient marriages apart,” he said.

Wilson, who was appointed to the role of commissioner in late 2013 by attorney general George Brandis, added that more needed to be done to educate service providers around trans* issues.

“In Brisbane I met with mothers desperately seeking access to medical and mental health services for their transgender children,” he said.

“Their stories were heartbreaking. All they wanted was the opportunity for their children to grow up and live happy, healthy lives.”

Australian Marriage Equality (AME) national director Rodney Croome applauded Wilson’s continued support.

“His advocacy, particularly to libertarian and conservative decision makers, is critical to achieving this reform,” he said.

However, Croome believes religious celebrants already had the legal right to choose who they marry and AME saw no reason in watering down anti-discrimination protections for possible future ceremonies.

“Wedding industry providers have everything to gain and nothing to lose from marriage equality,” he said.

“I’d urge Mr Wilson to do more to calm the fears of marriage equality opponents and less to legitimise them.

A forthcoming Human Rights Commission report announced by Wilson last May will recommend steps to ensure LGBTI Australians received fair treatment from government services.

Click here to read Wilson’s speech in full

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113 responses to “Human Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson’s call for marriage equality but respect for religions”

  1. Great way to muddy the debate Timbo. As a marriage celebrant is actually supposed to have a rapport with the couple they are officiating for, I’d say that this would be something that would not happen anyway.

    As for religious organisations offering or restricting marriage; they already do that. But, isn’t it up to their organisation to decide whether or not they want to perform such weddings.

    If you own a secular business such as function room, party provider, wedding planner you’d be a fool to turn down the big bucks and the $$$s as well. LOL. But, seriously, a baker is not offering a religious service and if granted a license to operate a business they fall subject to anti-discrimination legislation (mind you, I wouldn’t want a cake from a baker that was a Gay hater; any cake; pastry; bread etc).

    All that being said, some businesses are going to make a lot of money and others are simply going to go to the wall. That’s the nature of business. Word of Mouth is the best advertising there is.

  2. This suggestion by Wilson is an attempt to suggest that religious beliefs trump the rights of homosexual couples, that we should respect religious beliefs over theirs, is a dog whistle, pure and simple.

    • Attempt to suggest?it is practiced belief that goes without adequate challenge.
      I have for over a year tried to engage with st Monica’s catholic college as a gay parent who upon what is all that can be identified as the trigger to cut out any communication with me to dismiss the mood subtle to justify failure.to speak to me in regards to their counselling??????? Of my child. To meet with having been pre advised as to the growing feelings that I would present on their face my objection to having my worth dismissed and their judgemental destructive opinionated poison being drilled into my child’s mind against my will that (please understand I’m not crazy and I went to lengths to assure authorities and others of my attempt to stop the silence and have the issues escalated)I would arrive in there face and that the ensuing massacre would be triggered by the most dangerous destructive self righteous and self absorbed principal who would have by his taunting and dismissal leave the blood of the children he was obliged to protect, be left having his ignorance and cruelty being no excuse for their blood all over his hands, now never the intention to do such
      A thing, he given the worthless filth he dismissed me as needs to be removed from any authority he has in regards to the welfare of the children at his school.silence to me, and that sick cruel fuck dos not even alert the police. I knew the risk of my approach but i know the damage that these religious monsters deliver and it was the best of little alternatives I had. So disgusted and concerned that I didn’t even get a please explain from the police for my threat via numerous phone calls and emails to the school and to him personally. I went to them myself and asked they follow up with him. That they did no such thing is one of many reasons that these religious delusional destructive lunatics believe they have the right to escape the arm of the law in relation to homosexuals, but this is not a gay issue this needs to be seen as the joke it is that anyone can suffer because these fucking mad bastards actually believe that shit.
      Mine is an informed comment believe you me! Having spent 80 percent of. My life battling an urge to end it given the shit I was unable to understand or control Why my dick got hard over boys. Please add a voice to the need to stop allowing the distraction the gay marriage argument provides for the heartless killers and keep close and remind yourself the second it’s not a constant presence for you. Gay marriage means fuck all to a kid who ends his life because he hates the prospect of another sunrise that brings with it the filth he is and these cunts preach to make sure he never forgets it.obviously gays are entitled to equality and gay marriage should not be a pic for discussion it should be demanded it is made available, it’s not and it won’t in a hurry. But should the distraction it provides be removed and the reality the poison that I don’t give. A fuck what ant cunt says to dispute it, that poison, in the minds of a child, from experience, in the mind of at least this grown man , makes taking your life a very real solution to ending your struggle and the battles these monstrous evil cruel judgemental sick fucks, make your life as you watch them held high in regard by all confirming further your feelings of worthlessness. we all need to wake the fuck up and address the reality that at the core of most suffering you will find a bible and a government official. Don’t any basted give me an opinion on my approach give me facts that refute what I maintain an unmoved will to have corrected or shut the fuck up and get out of my way! Mr Hanley at st Monica’s college in Epping Victoria. Look the fuck out you piece off destructive cruel shit. I warned you

    • Spare me a vista from the uniformed filth otherwise known as the one thing I can put a finger on that will more than likley deliver snap. I’ll destroy that cunt Hanley with the truth and save those deserving parents the heartache a negligent lunatic like Hanley sees fit to risk based on his stupid fucking religious beliefs.

    • Those perverted Untouchables need to have ( and only because whilst too busy enforcing and passing law on who the duck knows what based on the state of this place) their crucifixes replaced around their necks replaced with crack pipes. That there is no comparison given the destructive saturation that goes unchallenged these bastards put out there they make the damage you declare war on look like loose change in comparison

  3. What hypocritical tosser. Will say anything to stay in his masters’ good books. Sack the little turd. He’s a disgrace!. A young Turnbull(shit). Even looks a bit like lying mongrel!

  4. In Sweden they have the perfect system. The church who there is not above the state are obligated to marry everyone. Since the law allows same sex marriage the church has to comply. If not, they will be stripped off their right to wed people. The compromise is that the individual priest can refuse, but is obligated to find a replacement that will. You got to love that!!

  5. Religious celebrants already have the exemption. However, it is time for ALL people to be treated equally!! And since religion doesn’t discriminate, (only narrow-minded power-hungry people discriminate) neither should Celebrants!

  6. As a straight man myself i will withdraw my support for Marriage Equality

    His narcissistic political ambition has overridden any decency and humanity with children who have been sexually abused.

    Gay men like him shouldn’t ever have children and get married

    It’s too dangerous!

    Didn’t know that gays were so selfish, heartless and shallow

  7. According to Abbott, if you don’t want to work weekends, then don’t work weekends. By that logic if you don’t want to provide services to same-sex couples don’t work in an industry where you’ll be required to. Simple. If your religion is more important than someone’s right to equality and respect as a person, then it’s probably best you interact with the public at an absolute minimum. Using “religious beliefs” as an excuse not to sell someone a cake is bullshit. To quote Patsy Stone “Drop the attitude love, you work in a shop.”

  8. What do you expect from a gay man who is a member of the Liberal Party? What self-respecting gay man would join that party? It reeks of internalised homophobia or Stockholm Syndrome or both. He’s a total tosser.

  9. I’d be concerned that a professional providing a service is behaving unprofessionally. That’s across the board for all fee for service industries.

    • No one in the wedding industry is a ‘professional’ re the full meaning of the word! It is just overpriced hospitality & shop services. Some may have a degree in business, or alike, but this is not specific to ‘wedding services’… Considering this, they would be fools not to just suck it up. Europe and U.S stats show GLBTI’s spend much more! (& look hotter! Ha).

    • So true, Lauren. If gay caterers started refusing to work at heterosexual weddings, the wider community would create an argument around professionalism. Why should this be any different?

  10. Well, if someone says “no, I won’t do your wedding” it’s a bit different to “no I won’t do your faggot wedding you make me sick I hope jesus forgives you”

  11. Tim is right. Why should ppl be forced to do something they dont believe in? I dont want someone to perform my ceremony simply for the money and be secretly hating it. I fully support ppl having the right to choose which after all is exsctly what we are fighting for. The right to choose to marry or not

  12. In 2014, if a Human Rights Commissioner said he believed religious organisations should be able to discriminate against interracial marriage – purely because it was an interracial marriage – he would be asked to resign.

    I’m tempted to ask Tim to stop making a mockery of gay relationships and to do the same.

    • This is perfect. Because both Racism and Homophobia are both ignorant intolerable fears. Yet one is socially acceptable in the 21st Century and the other isn’t. When will the world open its eyes.

    • Thanks Elle. Worse still, if I spoke in favour of mixed race marriage, I’d never have to explain myself. I would never be expected to create an anthropological, economic, biblical argument as to why. The moral weight of love would suffice. Yet, gays are still being lured into these intellectual discussions about the benefits of same-sex marriage. As if the moral weight of homosexual love is not equal to that of their heterosexual counterparts. A sad state in the 21st century.

  13. I think I don’t care what Tim Wilson thinks. I think he is an overpaid dilettante who should not be in the job he currently occupies. I think that he spends too much time being concerned with abstract minutiae and his pet ideologies over the lived reality of human existence and real human suffering.

  14. That’s fine by me. You don’t want to work at my big expensive wedding fuck off – plenty of other people will be happy to do it and pocket the cash. Imbeciles. What business is going to be stupid enough to knock back customers this way?