Marriage negotiations continue

Marriage negotiations continue

ALP national conference, day 1

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has been forced to clarify reports he would reject an ALP National Conference decision this week if it supported a shift to marriage equality.

He said what he meant, and yesterday clarified, was that debate on same-sex relationship recognition was understandable and legitimate, but his own view wouldn’t change.

I fully accept that it’s a matter of controversy and there will be debate and there should be, Rudd told ABC Radio in Adelaide yesterday.

We’ve simply reflected our view and my view as to what the proper arrangement are under the Marriage Act.

Rainbow Labor is in furious agreement with the Prime Minister on the legitimacy of the debate. The coalition of GLBTI Labor members has tried to show a united front to the factional delegates at the conference who will decide the official policy for the next three years.

Five years ago, under different leadership, the ALP was wedged into supporting the ban on same-sex marriage by the Howard government, spokesman Matthew Loader said.

Whatever the reasons were then, they need to be revisited now in an intelligent and comradely fashion.

Hiding behind the statement -˜that is our existing policy’ will no longer satisfy the majority of Australians who support recognising same-sex marriage.

Negotiations with faction leaders were continuing today ahead of tomorrow’s deadline for amendments to the current policy.

The minimalist proposal would simply drop a few words from the existing policy for state-based relationship registers so it no longer demands they not mimic marriage or undermine opposite sex marriage only.

Others in the party believe federal civil unions would receive support from both left and right ALP factions.

The current policy that federal Labor pass anti-discrimination laws covering sexual orientation and gender identity has gone under the radar amid the marriage debate.

Cabinet minister Anthony Albanese has been among those pushing for anti-discrimination laws for more than a decade. But just weeks before the 2007 election the policy was dropped from the official list of Rudd Government commitments.

Rainbow Labor fears that pushing for a commitment on federal anti-discrimination laws this week will push relationship recognition off the conference agenda.

The final vote by the 400 conference delegates will take place Saturday morning.

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16 responses to “Marriage negotiations continue”

  1. Hey Ana, hope you’re not wearing any clothing made from two different kinds of cloth, because then I am directed by God to smite you, as it is an abomination to wear clothing made from two different kinds of cloth.

    So no cotton/nylon blends can be worn or we should all stone you to death.

    Given you’re a fundamentalist Christian we’d probably all want to stone you for your appalling taste in clothing anyway.

    Here’s an idea for you, perhaps global warming is god’s punishment for refusing to accept homosexuality and birth control. The earth is way overpopulated due to women not being able to control their fertility due to their extreme poverty, and the Catholic church is utterly lacking in compassion for these women. This is not surprising given the misogyny of the church.

    Notice all the fundamentalist Christian go silent and disappear as soon as you point out all the other lunatic stuff thats in the bible.

  2. helooo guy’s,,,,!
    i thinking,,,love in your heart n love is your life n your self
    sorry i don’t now speak english (just litle)

  3. @Chillisauce100,

    In Article 2 of the UDoHR – where are the words “sexual orientation or gender idenity” in that article??????

  4. I would be really interested to know the thoughts of Penny Wong- Minister for Climate change and Water on the issue of Gay marriage? Also given that Penny is the First openly gay Minister of Commonwealth cabinet, and serving under the Rudd Government.Does she share the same view?

  5. “from a time when people were killed for simply being Jewish,homosexual, or having a disability.”

    They still are.

  6. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

    (this was not written by a religious bigots)

    Article 1.

    * All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

    Article 2.

    * Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.

    Article 7.

    * All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

    Article 16.

    * (1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.

    * (2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.

    * (3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.

  7. More bad news-Julia Gillard has just stated that the government views marriage as between a man and a woman. I was hoping Julia Gillard one of the most powerful ALP left faction members might be able to convince Rudd or muscle up some numbers from the left ALP faction to support same-sex marriage as it seems most of the ALP members that are against same-sex marriage are from the consertive right faction of the party like Kevin Rudd. Also Julia Gillard is tipped to replace Rudd when he steps down, so if she is personally strongly against gay marriage then we are in big trouble. The Greens hold the balance of power in the senate who support gay marriage and yet we still cant remove the ban on gay marriage. What now ?

  8. I know I shouldn’t be rude but Ana you are a nut job. If you have sexual reproductive organs you can procreate

  9. Ana seems to think the existence of homosexuality is an attack on heterosexuality, that because homosexuality exists everyone should be homosexual.

    Homosexuality has existed since before the bible in no greater or lesser form than it does today, yet humanity continues. Please explain how we still exist.

  10. Ana,

    Catholics have murdered and tortured people who have not agreed with them for many years. You have to understand that not all people are Catholics. The Pope is no closer to God then you or I. He is but one man from a time when people were killed for simply being Jewish,homosexual, or having a disability. He even joined the political party that supported this. Many Catholics do not like this Pope but it is not a democracy is it. He was not chosen by the average Catholic. In addition Catholics are allowed to follow they feel is right and have a personal relationship with God. That can mean we do follow the Church on things such as the hatred of homosexuals, or giving women great roles in the Church.

    Did you know the translation for the word homosexual has changed with many publications of the Bible? The Professors of Theology in Harvard and Oxford University says the Catholic translation is totally wrong on this, as do many others.

    Very sad to let you know that people cannot be made homosexual or heterosexual. We are made the way we are. Most of us are not homosexual. Do you really think anyone wants a life like this?

    The Bible also says clearly that sex with a prostitute is acceptable for the husband but not for the wife. Polygamy (more than one wife) is acceptable, as is a king’s having many concubines. (Solomon, the wisest king of all, had 1,000 concubines.) Slavery and sex with slaves, marriage of girls aged 11-13, and treatment of women as property are all accepted practices in the Scriptures. On the other hand, there are strict prohibitions against interracial marriage, birth control, discussing or even naming a sexual organ, and seeing one’s parents nude.

    DEUTERONOMY 22:13-21
    If it is discovered that a bride is not a virgin, the Bible demands that she be executed by stoning immediately.

    MARK 12:18-27
    If a man dies childless, his widow is ordered by biblical law to have intercourse with each of his brothers in turn until she bears her deceased husband a male heir.

    LEVITICUS 18:19
    The Bible forbids a married couple from having sexual intercourse during a woman’s period. If they disobey, both shall be executed.

    I hope this informs you a bit more.

    God Bless,

    Dave

  11. Oh poor Ana. This is the same Catholic church that still beleives a baby is put in a woman by God. How sad!

  12. How come centerlink can reconize us, we can have commitment ceremonies but not marriage????
    Get with the times.We should have the same rights…

  13. IF HOMOSEXUALITY IS OK, THEN IT WOULD BE OK FOR ALL PEOPLE TO BE HOMOSEXUALS FOR 100 YEARS – THEN THERE WOULD BE NO BABIES – AND HUMANS WOULD BE EXTINCT.

    “As Pope Benedict said … in his festive address to the Vatican’s governing body, the Curia:

    ‘The Church must defend not only the earth, the water and the air as gifts of creation belonging to everyone, but it must also protect mankind against the destruction of itself. The tropical forests deserve our protection, but man as a creature deserves it no less.’

    In a clear reference to homosexuality, he said the failure to respect the union between a man and a woman amounted to the ‘auto destruction of mankind’.

    Humanity needed to ‘listen to the language of creation’ to understand the intended roles of man and woman, he added. Anything that deviated from this was a ‘destruction of God’s works’.

    The Pope -“ who acquired a reputation as an aggressive, doctrine-enforcing cardinal before he was appointed to the Vatican top job -“ also defended the Church’s right to ‘speak of human nature as man and woman, and ask that this order of creation be respected’.”
    QUOTE EXTRACTED FROM:
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1100422/Homosexuality-great-threat-rainforest-destruction-says-Pope.html
    #

    Editor’s Note: Ana, correct me if I am wrong, but the Pope is appointed by man, not God, and so can only speak on behalf of man. If you or anyone else is aware of a special Pope phone to heaven, where Benedict and his ilk make direct calls to the big guy upstairs about his intentions in the Bible, please let me know – I have a few questions of my own about people who fail to show love and respect to their fellow man, regardless of gender, creed or sexual orientation. Neither you nor the Pope have a God-given right to judge …. I’d suggest you keep that in mind next time you post on this forum.

  14. I found out on the COMLAW website there is another statute ban on same-sex marriage (other than the Marriage Act 1961) – it is under the Family Law Act 1975 (page 143). So in effect, there are two bans on same-sex marriage in Australia.

    This is the quote:

    “Section 44

    43 Principles to be applied by courts

    (1) The Family Court shall, in the exercise of its jurisdiction under this Act, and any other court exercising jurisdiction under this Act shall, in the exercise of that jurisdiction, have regard to:
    (a) the need to preserve and protect the institution of marriage as the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others voluntarily entered into for life;
    (b) the need to give the widest possible protection and assistance to the family as the natural and fundamental group unit of society, particularly while it is responsible for the care and education of dependent children;
    (c) the need to protect the rights of children and to promote their welfare;
    (ca) the need to ensure safety from family violence; and
    (d) the means available for assisting parties to a marriage to consider reconciliation or the improvement of their
    relationship to each other and to their children.
    (2) Paragraph (1)(a) does not apply in relation to the exercise of jurisdiction conferred or invested by Division 2.”

    Source: http://www.comlaw.gov.au/ComLaw/legislation/actcompilation1.nsf/0/596B57AB34085FB6CA2575E00023CBC3/$file/FamilyLaw1975_WD02.pdf