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[cameron]

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The leader of Australia's opposition Labor Party introduced a bill to legalize same-sex marriage on Monday, adding the backing of a major party to growing public support for the issue after last month's landmark 'yes' vote in Ireland.

Labor Party leader Bill Shorten introduced the bill in the government-dominated lower house of parliament despite opposition from conservative Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who is not expected to allow it to come up for a vote.

The proposal, the first by a leader of a major Australian political party, added to pressure on the government to allow a vote sooner rather than later.

A telephone survey of 1,000 people conducted in Australia a year ago by polling agency Crosby-Textor found support for legalizing same-sex marriage at 72 percent.

Abbott, a socially conservative Catholic, said on Monday the government was focused on passing legislation to help small businesses and did not want a vote on same-sex marriage to distract from that issue.

Supporters of same-sex marriage within the government say they will seek backing for a bipartisan bill in the second half of the year, but only after the budget has been debated.

http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCAKBN0OH1AG20150601?sp=true

CNN has an opinion piece on why Australia is lagging behind, but I don't know how accurate it is.

 

[excelsiorlef]

Lol what a poor excuse, sorry gays I know you have 72% support and this could be done quick but small businesses man don't distract me.

Also not even his own sister is enough. What a piece of work.

 

[Yagharek]

This could be debated on and voted for in fifteen minutes. Then spend the rest of the afternoon on small business laws.

It's just an excuse for delaying something the LNP don't like.

 

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

This could be debated on and voted for in fifteen minutes. Then spend the rest of the afternoon on small business laws.

It's just an excuse for delaying something the LNP don't like.

Not really, its the LNP and the Greens that want to block it since they realise people want gay marriage now so they don't want to be left off the bill and go down in history as bigotted asses. The Greens not so much biggots as they want to be part of it which is fair enough since they have been calling for it for a long time.

Also for the rest of the world two of the most outspoken MP's on this issue Tony Abbott and Bob Katter both site god and the bible for their opinions.......... both have gay siblings, calling them dogs would be an insult to dogs.

 

[Juicy Bob]

Fuck's sake Tony, you cunt.

 

[dejay]

Not really, its the LNP and the Greens that want to block it since they realise people want gay marriage now so they don't want to be left off the bill and go down in history as bigotted asses.

This. Abbot has consistently been against it and against a conscience vote for his party, but now the writing is clearly on the wall he wants it to be a cross party bill instead of a Labor bill. What a load of crap, although his gay sister was supporting his approach on radio this morning, who believes a measured, cross party approach is more likely to succeed.

There's also a call to make it legal for church groups to refuse performing marriage to gay couples, which isn't part of the Labor bill.

Regardless, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months or 12 months, it's gonna happen. It's said that on social issues, the Australian parliamentary system is about 10 years behind public opinion when it comes to passing laws.

(edit) The reason I believe it's taken so long is because it's never been an election winning policy, but it has been seen as an election losing policy, even if the majority of people support it. However, it's becoming an election issue and hopefully social issues can take on more importance during elections.

 

[Jintor]

I can't remember which of the three competing bills is up anymore. bloody parliamentary minutea. Don't the greens have a bill to be voted on pretty soon?

 

[Mohonky]

Just tell Abbot he'll get to watch more girl on girl action, he'll come round rather quickly.

 

[JC Sera]

http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCAKBN0OH1AG20150601?sp=true

CNN has an opinion piece on why Australia is lagging behind, but I don't know how accurate it is
.

The main thing its missing from this article is that Australia has (at least in the state of Victoria where I live) recognition of de facto relationships which pretty much possess all the same rights of a married relationship. So homosexual relationships won't suffer the same of the denial of rights in other countries due to not being married; for example financial issues or being denied access from a hospitalised partner because you aren't family and are not recognised as their life partner.

Conservative or even middling-slightly right people point at this and say "oh but you have all the rights of a married couple, why do you want to get married?" and then sometimes with this tacked on the end "It would ruin the sanctity of religion based marriage, which states a man and a wo"- ect ect ect you've all heard that one before

Just tell Abbot he'll get to watch more girl on girl action, he'll come round rather quickly.

That joke falls flat when you look at his poor sister :')

 

[seanoff]

Just tell Abbot he'll get to watch more girl on girl action, he'll come round rather quickly.

Might remind him of his sister. He'll never vote for that.


Having been married and divorced, I'm all for lgbt peeps suffering too.

 

[Arksy]

This. Abbot has consistently been against it and against a conscience vote for his party, but now the writing is clearly on the wall he wants it to be a cross party bill instead of a Labor bill. What a load of crap, although his gay sister was supporting his approach on radio this morning, who believes a measured, cross party approach is more likely to succeed.

There's also a call to make it legal for church groups to refuse performing marriage to gay couples, which isn't part of the Labor bill.

Regardless, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months or 12 months, it's gonna happen. It's said that on social issues, the Australian parliamentary system is about 10 years behind public opinion when it comes to passing laws.

(edit) The reason I believe it's taken so long is because it's never been an election winning policy, but it has been seen as an election losing policy, even if the majority of people support it. However, it's becoming an election issue and hopefully social issues can take on more importance during elections.

The first country in the world to give women the vote and allow them to run for office by a factor of decades has now come to this, it's so sad.

 

[hidys]

The first country in the world to give women the vote and allow them to run for office by a factor of decades has now come to this, it's so sad.

New Zealand was actually the first to give women the right to vote in 1893.

But your point is still accurate.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

Fuck's sake Tony, you cunt.

Obligatory

 

[Arksy]

New Zealand was actually the first to give women the right to vote in 1893.

But your point is still accurate.

Hence the 'and run for office' - the Anglosphere usually is the first to recognise minority rights, and in this Australia has shamed itself.

 

[i_am_ben]

Its so sad that Australia has had to been shamed into this.

 

[Antiwhippy]

Its so sad that Australia has had to been shamed into this.

We were too worried about boats and the government actually spending money to put it back into the economy to care about gay people.

 

[Bernbaum]

What should be a beautiful moment in our history is going to tarnished because of Tony the lizard faced cunt.

 

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

We were too worried about boats and the government actually spending money to put it back into the economy to care about gay people.

It does suck to say it but looking at the current situation with boat migrants in other countries.... it might have been somewhat good....

 

[ninjapanda]

It does suck to say it but looking at the current situation with boat migrants in other countries.... it might have been somewhat good....

What would the long term outcome be if all those countries adopted our policies on this issue?

 

[Dryk]

What would the long term outcome be if all those countries adopted our policies on this issue?

A rickety wooden path between all of the countries in the South Pacific

 

[Yrael]

Its so sad that Australia has had to been shamed into this.

Tell me about it. >_>

Obligatory

The stink-eye that the woman gives Abbott as she passes is glorious.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

The stink-eye that the woman gives Abbott as she passes is glorious.

Her laugh really gets me too.

 

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

What would the long term outcome be if all those countries adopted our policies on this issue?

Less drownings but most likely they would take land routes instead through equally dicey circumstances.

 

[dejay]

The first country in the world to give women the vote and allow them to run for office by a factor of decades has now come to this, it's so sad.

It still took over ten years for women to be able to vote in every state and sixty years for aboriginal women to be given the vote. Some changes are quick, some lag behind.

I do hope that this may spell another era where we focus more on social issues and less on economic boogeymen.

 

[Gentle Rodriguez]

Abbott you fucking cunt