Gillard: You will never marry under me
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has told The Australian newspaper that she will not change her mind on same-sex marriage while she is in power. Despite her lack of faith, she said same-sex marriage should remain illegal out of respect for Australia’s Christian “heritage”.
Gillard told the newspaper she appreciated Australia’s “heritage as a Christian country”, adding that “the Marriage Act has a special status in our culture” as a heterosexuals-only institution.
Australian Marriage Equality national secretary Peter Furness demanded that Gillard explain what Australia’s “Christian heritage” has to do with same-sex marriage.
“Does she believe discrimination is acceptable because some people think homosexuality is a sin, or because a minority of couples still marry in churches even though marriage is a civil, secular institution in Australian society?” Furness said.
“Gillard’s words sound like something an anti-gay ‘morals’ campaigner like Rev Fred Nile would say and are far more extreme than anything John Howard, Tony Abbott or Kevin Rudd have ever said on the issue.
“Any way you look at it, Gillard’s statement is offensive, ridiculous and extreme and must be explained or withdrawn.
“We also want to know why she is only upholding the ‘Christian heritage’ of churches that discriminate, and not those that solemnise same-sex marriages.”
Furness agreed that the act of marriage had a “special status in our culture”.
“That is precisely why it should not enshrine discrimination, exclusion and prejudice.
“Australians want leaders who represent broad community support for equality, not leaders who pander to tiny minorities of fundamentalists wanting to impose their outdated beliefs on everyone else.”
UPDATE: A dummy ALP twitter account was falsely claiming today that the Labor caucus had voted in favour of same-sex marriage.
The person responsible claimed to be posting on behalf of Rainbow Labor, but Rainbow Labor have told us this is absolutely not correct. The ALP national campaign office have now shut down the twitter account.
We all have to vote greens as first preference. Do whatever you like afterwards but greens first. The more Labor lose to greens the more Labor will start to listen to us.
Dear Julia,
If Australia
This is pretty much the last straw for me with Labor. I’m voting Greens – there is absolutely no difference between either party. Labor is neither progressive nor showing leadership on any number of important issues. I live in the Melbourne electorate – my vote counts, and the only way to make Labor do what you want is to desert them. Vote Greens – the openly gay leader of a party who isn’t ashamed to support gay rights.
So all that ass-kissing of Labor was for nothing: when push comes to shove, it’s always ‘queers overboard’ as this shallow, unprincipled, two-faced woman grabs for power. Their lack of respect for us is breathtaking, infuriating. The ONLY chance for progressive change in Australia – not just on equal marriage, but on climate change and the humane treatment of people fleeing violence and persecution, among other things – is a very strong Green vote, a Green/Labor coalition in the lower house, and a powerful Green presence in the Senate of 10+. Our ONLY hope of progress in the foreseeable future, whoever wins power, is the biggest possible Green vote.
She is over-compensating because she is an atheist fearing that she will alienate the main voting block of Australia COMPLETELY ignoring the fact that recent polls have put the approval rating of same sex marriage at about 60-65%.
She also stupidly doesnt realise even though the majority of Australians are from a Christian background many are “secular Christians” and those that practice their faith subscribe to a more progressive style of Christianity than people in other countries such as the USA when Evangelicalism and Fundamentalism are the norm.
Wake up Gillard. Your living in Australia not USA. Your atheism is less of a problem to moderate, tolerant Australians than your refusal to acknowledge same sex marriage.