Party slammed over gay marriage stance
Gay activists have dismissed claims by the public officer of the new Tasmanian pro-environment Ethics and Sustainability Party, Kathleen Petrovsky, that same-sex marriage is ‘radical’ and ‘trendy’, and have requested a meeting with Dr Petrovsky to discuss the issue.
Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson Rodney Croome said in a statement that same-sex marriage has widespread public support.
“According to opinion polls, same-sex marriage has the support of 60% of Australians, not to mention support from the Tasmanian Labor Party state conference and numerous large Australian corporations and unions – it is anything but ‘radical’,” said Croome.
“We will be seeking a meeting with Dr Petrovsky so we can make the point that legal inequality and discrimination are neither ethical nor sustainable.”
In last weekend’s Sunday Tasmanian, Petrovsky labelled the Greens’ same-sex marriage policy as “radical” and “trendy” and said, “we don’t believe in changing society and its rules. We believe in the mother, father, children kind of nuclear family. I’m not into gay marriage. I keep telling (the Greens) to get rid of some of those policies.”
Croome called on Dr Petrovsky to state her party’s positions on issues such as same-sex parents raising children, and financial and workplace entitlements for same-sex partners.
“I’m sure the young voters Dr Petrovsky says she wants to appeal to will be interested in exactly how deep her party’s prejudices run.”