Autralian GILLARD: You WILL NEVER Marry Under ME

Author:

 

Andrew M Potts

 

Posted:

 

Friday, 20 August 2010

• Gillard: You will never marry under me
•  

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has told The Australian  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“Any way you look at it, Gillard’s statement is offensive, ridiculous and extreme and must be explained or withdrawn.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community support for equality, not leaders who pander to tiny minorities of fundamentalists wanting to impose their outdated beliefs on everyone else.”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.

http://www.starobserver.com.au