Prime minister says Australian vote to decide gay marriage

[webfact]

Prime minister says Australian vote to decide gay marriage
ROD McGUIRK, Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia's prime minister gave a personal assurance on Friday that his government would legalize gay marriage if a majority of Australians choose marriage equality in a popular vote.

The center-right government has promised to hold a plebiscite on the gay marriage question if the government is re-elected in a vote due this year.

But a number of the government's most conservative lawmakers have recently announced that they might vote down gay marriage against the wishes of a majority of Australians.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who supports gay marriage, said his government would "absolutely" follow the result of the plebiscite.

"If the majority of people voting in the plebiscite vote in favor of it, then same-sex marriage will be legalized," Turnbull told Melbourne Radio 3AW on Friday.

The center-left opposition Labor Party supports gay marriage. But the ruling coalition is bitterly divided on the issue.

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, a former Roman Catholic trainee priest who opposes gay marriage, had proposed last year that a plebiscite be held after the next election as a way to end the political in-fighting by effectively taking the decision out of lawmakers' hands.

Opponents argue the plebiscite would cost about 160 million Australian dollars ($113 million), and carry no legal weight so the question would still be left to Parliament to decide.

Turnbull had wanted parliament to decide the issue, but after replacing Abbott as prime minister in September he decided to leave that part of government policy unchanged.

Federal plebiscites, which unlike referendums carry no legal weight, have been held only three times since the Australian government was formed in 1901. Two rejected conscription during World War I, and a third in 1977 replaced "God Save the Queen" with "Advance Australia Fair" as the national anthem.

-- (c) Associated Press 2016-01-29

[ezzra]

The world is falling apart and chaos everywhere and all the gay and lesbian care about is to be legally married

so they can claim a spouse benefits and nothing else, coz if you really want to be with each other you can,

no one is topping you, but being married there is all those social and work entitlements and fringe benefits they

don't want to miss out on....

[simple1]

The world is falling apart and chaos everywhere and all the gay and lesbian care about is to be legally married so they can claim a spouse benefits and nothing else, coz if you really want to be with each other you can, no one is topping you, but being married there is all those social and work entitlements and fringe benefits they don't want to miss out on....

Nonsense. Same sex relations were recognised for government funded benefits & legislated in Australia 07/2009.

[neverdie]

The world is falling apart and chaos everywhere and all the gay and lesbian care about is to be legally married

so they can claim a spouse benefits and nothing else, coz if you really want to be with each other you can,

no one is topping you, but being married there is all those social and work entitlements and fringe benefits they

don't want to miss out on....

Wrong !

Please open mouth & change feet.

Now go educate yourself before wobbling your gums about something to which you clearly are clueless at this point.

[RuamRudy]

The world is falling apart and chaos everywhere and all the gay and lesbian care about is to be legally married

so they can claim a spouse benefits and nothing else, coz if you really want to be with each other you can,

no one is topping you, but being married there is all those social and work entitlements and fringe benefits they

don't want to miss out on....

Yes, that is right, nothing else matters whatsoever to the LGBT community. They have neither thought nor opinion on anything else whatsoever. Or maybe it is you who is the narrow minded one?

Why should the benefits of marriage not be enjoyed by all who enter into the arrangement? Everyone contributes to the state - why should they not all benefit equally? In fact, should not the LGBT community enjoy additional benefits because they don't, in the main, have kids for the state to support?

[Johnpound46]

The world is falling apart and chaos everywhere and all the gay and lesbian care about is to be legally married

so they can claim a spouse benefits and nothing else, coz if you really want to be with each other you can,

no one is topping you, but being married there is all those social and work entitlements and fringe benefits they

don't want to miss out on....

Jeez, where most people have a heart you must have a gaping dark hole or something. You give the term "grumpy old man" a whole new meaning ......

[SABloke]

''But a number of the government's most conservative lawmakers have recently announced that they might vote down gay marriage against the wishes of a majority of Australians.''

Proof that representative democracy is NOT real democracy

[Jingthing]

What do the opinion polls indicate the voters of Australia will say?

[simple1]

What do the opinion polls indicate the voters of Australia will say?

70% plus support same sex marriage legislation

[Cynical Sailor]

What do the opinion polls indicate the voters of Australia will say?

70% plus support same sex marriage legislation

I think that most Australians (like me) couldn't give a toss one way or the other. We have bigger issues for our government to be concerned about.

[Jingthing]

What do the opinion polls indicate the voters of Australia will say?

70% plus support same sex marriage legislation

I think that most Australians (like me) couldn't give a toss one way or the other. We have bigger issues for our government to be concerned about.

So yes then as it doesn't effect you either way.

[AlexRRR]

The world is falling apart and chaos everywhere and all the gay and lesbian care about is to be legally married

so they can claim a spouse benefits and nothing else, coz if you really want to be with each other you can,

no one is topping you, but being married there is all those social and work entitlements and fringe benefits they

don't want to miss out on....

Sorry mate but you have no idea what goes on in AU, if your living together as a couple m to f, m to m, it's classed as a defacto relationship with all the rights as a legal one.

Same sex partners only want the legal right to be married, they got everything else.

[bridge2bridge]

I don't care what anyone thinks.

BUT Gay Marriage is NOT Normal.

And to let Gay Couples Adopt Children is DISGRACEFUL.

I M H O.

[Jingthing]

I don't care what anyone thinks.

BUT Gay Marriage is NOT Normal.

And to let Gay Couples Adopt Children is DISGRACEFUL.

I M H O.

You want a medal for being a normality enforcer?

[Khon Kaen Dave]

i blame Elton John for all this!

[Cats4ever]

The plebescite is a result of Liberal Party infighting between the remaining Liberals and the right wing nut cases who want to bludge on an existing party, rather than form one of their own. The plebescite was a delaying tactic by The Abbott and will cost about $170m. It should be a free vote in the parliament by the representatives of the people or held at the same time as the election (2nd best). After all it is not going to be compulsory.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Not a fan of putting fundamental human rights to a vote...inter-racial marriage might still be illegal in America if it was left up to the voters.

[tigermoth]

I have no objection to same sex marriages. I do not agree that same sex couples be allowed to adopt children. Children need the values and teachings of a man and a woman while growing up to give them a balanced sense of society and what is right and wrong.

[Smithson]

Same sex marriages will eventually be allowed in Aust, as opinion polls can't be ignored forever.

So why waste money on the vote? And why waste time debating the issue? As stated legally full rights exist. Surely there is something more important?

[Jingthing]

I have no objection to same sex marriages. I do not agree that same sex couples be allowed to adopt children. Children need the values and teachings of a man and a woman while growing up to give them a balanced sense of society and what is right and wrong.

You have a right to your opinion about adoption.

But how far would you take it.

Would you take existing children away?

Many lesbians have children that came out the old fashioned way and sometimes men in same sex couples have children from previous heterosexual marriages, etc.

Would you have the state take those children away?

Would you ban married lesbians from having new babies?

Perhaps the state could STERILIZE them?

You see the slippery slope you start when you start favoring discriminatory policies?