Tag: Australia

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Australian Capital Territory looks to pass marriage equality bill

On Friday, Australia’s equivalent of Washington, DC, the Australian Capital Territory, announced plans to legalize same-sex marriage by the end of the year.  The bill is set to be introduced to the Legislative Assembly this Thursday.

This would make ACT the first Australian jurisdiction to legalize marriage equality for same-sex couples.

The Labor administration of the territory will put forward a bill that will enable gay marriage, following a decade-long attempt to legislate in the area. Seven years ago, the John Howard-led government used its federal powers to overturn an ACT move to allow same-sex civil unions. The ACT has since reinstated civil unions. The legislation is set to be an early test for the prime minister elect, Tony Abbott, who has consistently opposed same-sex marriage but has held out the prospect of a vote on the issue at some time in the future. [Chief minister Kathy] Gallagher told Guardian Australia that she didn’t expect the Coalition to intervene to prevent gay marriage in the ACT. “We’ve been pretty clear on this issue for some time now and there’s overwhelming community support for this,” she said.

There will be no residency requirement, meaning same-sex couples who do not live in the territory will be able to have a marriage ceremony in the ACT.

(via JMG)

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Australia: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd schools anti-gay pastor at public forum

The Guardian reports:

Challenged by a pastor and Christian radio announcer on the ABC’s Q&A program on Monday night as to why as a Christian he did not follow the teaching of the bible that marriage was between a man and a woman, Rudd replied: “Well, mate, if I was going to have that view, the bible also says that slavery is a natural condition (huge applause) because St Paul said in the new testament: ‘slaves be obedient to your masters,’ and therefore we should all have fought for the confederacy in the US civil war.”

He added: “I mean, for goodness sake, the human condition and social conditions change. What is the central principle of the new testament? It is one of universal love, loving your fellow man,” Rudd said, during a passionate performance in which he insisted he was still not contemplating losing Saturday’s election despite Labor’s declining standing in the opinion polls.

Rudd has promised to submit marriage equality legislation within 100 days of the start of his new term, should he be reelected.

(via JMG)

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Australia: Prime Minister promises marriage equality if reelected

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd promised to legalize same-sex marriage within the first 100 days in office if he beat Conservative opposition leader Tony Abbott in the September 7 election.

The Guardian reports:

Rudd said he supported legalising same-sex marriage “as a mark of decency to same-sex couples across the country who wish the same loving, caring relationship that, for example, I have had with Therese my wife now for the last 32 years, and for that to be formalised”.

He promised Labor MPs would again have a conscience vote on the issue and he “appealed to Abbott to do the same because folk out there want this to happen”.

Tony Abbott said he understood same-sex marriage was “a very important issue”, acknowledging his gay sister, Christine Forster, who was in the National Press Club debate audience with her partner.

But he said the matter had been recently debated by the parliament and would not be a high priority for an incoming Coalition government. He said it would be up to the Coalition party room to decide whether Coalition MPs should get a conscience vote, if it ever came up in the future.

(via Towleroad)

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Church sign of the day

Father Rod Bower posted a photo of the church’s sign board in Mann St with the message “Dear Christians, some people are gay, get over it, Love God” on Wednesday.

Within 24 hours, the post had more than 100,000 hits, 1000 shares and 3000 likes.

Father Bower said he was “overwhelmed” by the massive response.

“Normally one of my posts might get a few thousand views, but nothing like this,” he said.

“This has gone international now – there are people liking it all over the world and it is just a little sign in Gosford.”

Gosford is a city located on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia

More at the Daily Telegraph

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President Obama nominates gay man for ambassador to Australia

John Berry, the former director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, was nominated Friday as U.S. ambassador to Australia, the White House announced on Friday

The Washington Blade notes that Berry would be the first openly gay ambassador to a G-20 country.

His nomination needs to be confirmed by the Senate.

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Australian campaign to fight bullying and homophobia – “Year 7 Self”

Minus18 is Australia’s largest support network for gay, bisexual, lesbian and trans teenagers from all over Australia.

Minus18 has begun a new campaign called “Year 7 Self” that features heterosexual Aussies talking to their 7 year old selves regarding regret over not being more supportive of their LGBT friends who came out, and the value of those friendships as they grew older.

As the  Year 7 Self website states, “Just because we’re straight, doesn’t mean we have to be narrow. You might not know it now, but you’re going to have people in your life who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans… And that’s a pretty awesome thing.”

Check out the video above then head over to the website here.

(h/t Advocate)

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New campaign for gay marriage in Australia – “What are you having?”

Commissioned by Shelley Argent of the Australian National Spokesperson for PFLG, this new video is part of a new campaign down under:

The campaign’s theme is that: “Any child can be born gay. So marriage equality is every family’s issue.”

Spokeswoman for PFLG Shelley Argent told News Limited the campaign was designed to build support for gay marriage on the grounds that gay children were “born that way”.

“Being a lesbian or gay is not a choice,” she said. “It’s just the way you are.”

Visit www.whatruhaving.org for more information about the campaign.

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Australia: New South Wales Premier supports marriage equality

“As a Liberal who believes that commitment and family units are one of the best ways in which society is organized, I support the concept of same-sex marriage.

“It was New Zealand that in 1893 first gave votes to women; it took us another nine years to do it. It shouldn’t have to take us another nine years to get the lead of our cousin across the ditch.” – Barry O’Farrell, premier of the Australian state of New South Wales, whose capital city is Sydney.

(via JMG)