Tag: Australia

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Australia: Liberal MPs Prepare To Vote On Marriage Equality

Openly gay West Australian Liberal senator Dean Smith has begun circulating a bill, a “private member’s bill,” that would legalize marriage between two people in Australia regardless of their gender.

The legislation would allow protections for those who perform weddings to refuse to participate in same-sex marriage celebrations based on religious beliefs. Additionally, wedding industry service providers like bakers, photographers, and florists would be able to legally opt-out based on religious beliefs IF they can prove the business is linked to a religious body.

The bill has been released in advance of a special party room meeting scheduled for Monday in Canberra.

Smith told ABC’s Insiders that the death of a gay 34-year-old Lindt cafe manager in Sydney during a 16-hour terror attack in December 2014 convinced him that marriage equality needs to become a reality. The manager’s partner was left behind in legal limbo even though they had been together for 14 years.

Marriage equality supporters have asked Parliament to approve same-sex marriage for years.

But Prime Minister Turnbull supports a public vote on the matter, a “plebiscite.” But opponents argue a plebiscite would be very costly and, in the end, not legally binding.

Nine News Australia has this report:

Seems like a good time to revisit this terrific video from GetUp! Australia back in 2011. Over 16 million views, and still powerful.

It is time, Australia. It’s time.

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White House Transcripts: Trump Begged Mexican President To Stop Saying Mexico Will Not Pay For “The Wall”

A transcript of newly-elected President Trump’s first phone call with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto shows Trump knew he’d painted himself into a corner campaigning on “The Wall” to be paid for by Mexico.

Trump was most concerned that the Mexican president continued to say his country would not be paying for any wall.

From the Washington Post:

“You cannot say that to the press,” Trump said repeatedly, according to a transcript of the Jan. 27 call obtained by The Washington Post. Trump made clear that he realized the funding would have to come from other sources but threatened to cut off contact if Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto continued to make defiant statements.

The funding “will work out in the formula somehow,” Trump said, adding later that “it will come out in the wash, and that is okay.” But “if you are going to say that Mexico is not going to pay for the wall, then I do not want to meet with you guys anymore because I cannot live with that.”

Trump also told with the Mexican president that he won the state of New Hampshire (he didn’t) because “New Hampshire is a drug-infested den.”

That’s an American president denigrating a state to the head of a foreign nation.

The article goes on to chronicle Trump’s heated conversation with Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over a previous agreement by the U.S. to accept 1,250 economic refugees.

“I hate taking these people,” Trump said. “I guarantee you they are bad. That is why they are in prison right now. They are not going to be wonderful people who go on to work for the local milk people” — an apparent reference to U.S. dairy farms.

Turnbull tried to salvage the deal, noting that the detainees were economic refugees who had not been accused of crimes. He explained that they were being denied entry into Australia because of a policy aimed at discouraging human smuggling.

“There is nothing more important in business or politics than a deal is a deal,” Turnbull said. “You can certainly say that it was not a deal that you would have done, but you are going to stick with it.”

Trump only became angrier, saying the refugees could “become the Boston bomber in five years.”

“I think it is a horrible deal, a disgusting deal that I would have never made,” Trump said. “As far as I am concerned, that is enough, Malcolm. I have had it.”

Response from the Twitterverse:

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Viral Video: “The Big Deal”

An Australian birthday party turns tense when a young man stands and shares a secret about himself.

What happens when he comes out to his family regarding a very personal choice?

“A simple difference shouldn’t be a big deal”

From the organizers of The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival which is currently under way in Australia.

Watch below:

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Calendar Season: Shirtless Australian Firefighters Pose With Puppies

I know, I know, no one wants to see hunky, shirtless Australian firefighters pose with puppies.

But – just in case you did… 🙂

The 12 firefighters, who battled it out against 100 other hunks for the spot, are sharing their monthly spread with puppies that need happy homes in an effort to raise money for the RSPCA and Mates4mates, alongside their annual donations to The Children’s Hospital.

As of 2016, the Firefighters Calendar has raised an amazing $2.1 million AUD for their causes, and they want 2017 to be their best year yet. Along with new donations to their partners at RSPCA and Mates4mates, the Firefighters calendar is raising much-needed funds for the pediatric burns center and Camp OZ – a child burn victims program that’s so underfunded it risks being shut down.

Click here for more info. And yes, they do deliver to the US.

(h/t Queerty)

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PFLAG Australia Pressures Prime Minister On Marriage Equality Legislation

Check the new video from PFLAG Australia applying pressure to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over his idea to hold a plebiscite (that’s “referendum” in U.S. speak) on same-sex marriage.

Said plebiscite will cost Australia over $160 million plus isn’t even legally binding.

On top of which, it’s really icky to VOTE on folks equal rights.

Since the www.makeitlaw.com.au was unveiled ten days ago, over 52,000 emails against a plebiscite have been sent to Australian politicians.

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Austrailia HIV/AIDS Experts Say AIDS Epidemic Is ‘Over’

Australia’s top HIV/AIDS researchers and organizations have declared the AIDS epidemic (not the disease itself) is ‘over.’

As the number of actual AIDS diagnoses have continued to drop to very low numbers, the Australian Federation of AIDS Organizations has pronounced the disease is now seen as beaten in terms of being manageable.

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

“AIDS is over in the way we knew it,” he said. “We’ve got access to treatment that has had extraordinary effect, and community activism since the very early years of AIDS in the ’80s and ’90s has helped the efforts to fight it.”

Professor Sharon Lewin, director of the Peter Doherty Institute, told the ABC that anti-retroviral medications had been crucial to the epidemic’s decline, allowing people diagnosed with HIV to live healthy, long lives.

“I’ve actually seen a dramatic transformation of HIV from a universal death sentence to now a chronic, manageable disease,” Professor Lewin said.

However, Mr O’Donnell said Australia still has a major challenge in addressing HIV. “We still have a huge task in dealing with the 1100 to 1200 cases of HIV per year,” he said. “These are avoidable infections.”

He said he expected the pre-exposure prophylaxis Truvada, a once-a-day pill taken to prevent HIV, to be a game-changer comparable to the impact of the contraceptive pill.

“We need urgent action from the Australian government to subsidise this pill,” he said, adding that Truvada would see HIV cases halved in a year.

(h/t JMG)

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News Round-Up: June 1, 2016

Nick Jonas

Some news stories you may have missed:

• All-around hottie and LGBT ally Nick Jonas says he’s “technically” had gay sex.

• Australia’s Prime Minister predicts public vote on same-sex marriage by the end of the year.

• Only 12% of those polled in NBC/Wall Street Journal poll say Donald Trump has the temperament to be president.

• You too can own Zac Efron’s movie jockstrap from Dirty Grandpa, includes “assorted stains from use during production but remains in good condition.”

• New Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows Hillary Clinton leading Bernie Sanders by 2 points 49%-47%.

• The Massachusetts House has passed transgender protections, and the governor has signaled he will sign the bill into law.

• Britain’s healthcare system refuses to cover PrEP.

• This GIF of a Chippendale defeating a shark in the upcoming “Sharknado: The 4th Awakens” is my favorite thing today. Now THAT’s technique!

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Gus Kenworthy Shares One More Kangaroo Pic

A photo posted by gus kenworthy (@guskenworthy) on May 12, 2016 at 7:10am PDT

The “no more kangaroo” comments comes after several days of adorable posts by the Olympic medalist during his visit “down under.”

I think it’s pretty clear he saved the best for last 🙂

A photo posted by gus kenworthy (@guskenworthy) on May 9, 2016 at 10:01pm PDT

A photo posted by gus kenworthy (@guskenworthy) on May 11, 2016 at 6:19am PDT

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Happy Hump Day: World’s Sexiest Math Teacher Goes Down Under

(via Instagram)

Pietro Boselli, dubbed “The World’s Sexiest Math Teacher” shares a moment at the beach while visiting Australia as part of the MYV series, MYVTrippers.

Check out Boselli celebrating the huge LGBT Pride event Mardi Gras below.

Caption: “Mardi Gras is way more than a LGTB parade, it’s the biggest street event in Australia, where people can express themselves and shout out for a variety of causes. Truly a remarkable experience, and the concluding act of this amazing #MTVTrippers #NewSouthWales adventure. Thank you @sydneyfun and @mtvtravel_au”

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Australian Senator Tells Parliament Gay Men Are Too “Unfaithful” For Marriage

Sen. Bob Day of Australia

As Parliament debated the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill in Australia this week, anti-gay Senator Bob Day took time to slap same-sex couples as “unfaithful” and took umbrage at the idea that those who would deny equal rights to LGBTs are “bigots.”

Day also resorted to the common tactic of the ever-fearful “slippery slope:” if two men can marry, why stop there?

‘If this bill seeks marriage equality, what is it trying to protect equally? What relationships then are not marriages? Why would redefining marriage stop at same-sex relationships? The bill talks about two people, but why not three?’ said Day.

Quoting LGBT columnist and activist Dan Savage: ‘The term “monogamish” — monogamy as a kind of “monogamish” — has now been coined, a sort of “open marriage” — a tautology if ever I heard one in this brave new world—as they feel a restriction to one partner is unrealistic and unnatural.”

Following debate in the Senate, no vote on the legislation was held.

(source)