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LGBT News Australians to vote on same-sex marriage in November... by post

Discussion in 'Current Events, World News, & LGBT News' started by Aussie792, Aug 10, 2017.

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  1. Aussie792

    Aussie792
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    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-...l-plebiscite-14-days-to-enrol-to-vote/8791312

    If you're an Australian citizen entitled to vote and you're not enrolled or your details are out of date, enrol here to vote. Unpleasant and unnecessary though the vote is, the plebiscite does matter and we can't rely on ordinary electoral rules of mandatory voting to bring about a majority 'yes' vote. That means we must make sure family and friends are enrolled by the 24th of August and convincing them to submit their ballots by the 7th November. The government could do this in a day but we can't merely criticise Turnbull's weak spine to bring about the result we want.

    The government has failed deeply but the campaign doesn't have to. Don't boycott, vote. Let's get this done.
     
    #1 Aussie792, Aug 10, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 10, 2017
  2. lc asl

    lc asl
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    Please make this a victory for equality and the LGBTQ+ community. I agree with everything in this message.
     
    #2 lc asl, Aug 10, 2017
  3. PatrickUK

    PatrickUK
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    I don't know if it's correct but I think I read somewhere that 70% of Australians (when polled) are in support of same sex marriage, so it will be important to translate that positive support into real votes. Will a positive vote be binding though? Aussie?
     
    #3 PatrickUK, Aug 11, 2017
  4. Justinian20

    Justinian20
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    I'm not going to tell my family to enrol because they don't support marriage equality, but I will enrol because I want to make sure that we have marriage equality here in my home country. So if I decide to settle down with a boyfriend I can and then if I ever wanted to get married I can get married too.
     
    #4 Justinian20, Aug 11, 2017
  5. Aussie792

    Aussie792
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    The vote will not be binding. Parliament did not approve a plebiscite and even if it had, the original (rejected) legislation still gave Parliament the final say. This postal vote has the legal standing of an opinion poll.

    It's probably important to note that the High Court will listen to a challenge to this postal ballot in early September, which might invalidate the plebiscite. It will argue that the executive's spending of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) funds without parliamentary approval in non-urgent circumstances is uncontitutional and not part of the ABS' ordinary fact-finding functions for which money is appropriated. How that will go, I don't know. I support that argument regardless of same-sex marriage.

    An invalidation would almost certainly mean no parliamentary vote until the next election (necessary by 2019 but possibly to be held in 2018), which Labor, with a binding rule to support same-sex marriage for its members, is increasingly likely to win.

    The vast majority of parliamentarians in both houses support same-sex marriage. If it succeeds, it's almost certain that the government's pro-same sex marriage MPs and senators (including the prime minister) will vote in favour and it will become law. If it returns a 'no' vote, the government will refuse to let it come to a parliamentary vote and I personally doubt pro-same sex marriage government backbenchers would risk crossing the floor.

    What's so infuriating is the tantrum-eque temerity of the conservative wing of the Liberals, including Tony Abbott, who will slaughter the PM if he were to allow a free parliamentary vote in the case of a public 'no' vote, but who will absolutely exercise a 'no' vote regardless of how the public vote goes.
     
    #5 Aussie792, Aug 12, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2017
  6. PatrickUK

    PatrickUK
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    Many of the objections they raise are precisely the same ones we heard over here during parliamentary debates. It's one thing to try to present a reasoned argument against same sex marriage (I'll actually listen to those, even if I ultimately disagree) but some of the objections are beyond absurd.
     
    #6 PatrickUK, Aug 12, 2017
  7. Aussie792

    Aussie792
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    One of the most absurd and concerning parts of the plebiscite is that apart from the Australian Christian Lobby (which is not affiliated with most churches, funnily enough), prominent figures against same-sex marriage have chosen to focus on... just about anything else except same-sex marriage. Tony Abbott started his campaign by saying it was actually about political correctness, free speech and religious freedom and refused to substantively talk about same-sex marriage in his first press appearance after the postal vote was announced.

    The government isn't actually in an internal struggle about same-sex marriage; it's a quibble over process they've deferred to the public because the conservative wing has no ground to stand on but still will not back down. They refuse to talk about same-sex marriage when they oppose it and refuse to accept the public's choice unless it's what they want anyway.
     
    #7 Aussie792, Aug 12, 2017
  8. mnguy

    mnguy
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    This is sad, I wrongly thought Australia had equality already. The following video is from 2011 so I figured this had happened by now. Love that video with the adorable Julian Shaw, yum! I thought of Australia as more progressive than the US and had less ignorant bigotry.



    The opposition having no factual reasons against equality is typical since there are no such reasons to discriminate against gay couples in legal marriage. I hope equality can become law soon.
     
    #8 mnguy, Aug 14, 2017
  9. Andrew99

    Andrew99
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    It's about time.
     
    #9 Andrew99, Aug 18, 2017
  10. YermanTom

    YermanTom
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    If the Irish experience is anything to go by there will be a lot of scaremongering and misinformation.
    What appeared to work here was a good 'social media' campaign and a strong door to door effort.
    Taking to family, friends, colleges and strangers will make a massive difference.
    For many Irish people the knock on the door of a 'YES' campaigner was the first time that they met an openly gay person. It showed them that 'gays' were ordinary people!
    It ment that a lot of people came out that would not have come out otherwise.
    The reactions I got going door to door were generally good, but sometimes the reaction was extremely offensive.

    This will be a traumatic time for young gay Australians, But if it goes well it will make gay Australians feel like full equal citizens. A no vote is unthinkable.
     
    #10 YermanTom, Aug 19, 2017
  11. Yato Gami

    Yato Gami
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    I hope I'll bring luck to you! I spent a year in Ireland after 10th grade and it was the year they voted yes. I will spent a year in Oz from Aug 23rd on, so maybe I'm your lucky charm. ^-^
     
    #11 Yato Gami, Aug 19, 2017
  12. Imjustjulien

    Imjustjulien
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    Well said and well expressed - and the tide is changing. However the political lanscape and moral gymnastics are embassaring. Hadn't seen the clip before, its beautiful, down to earth and fair dinkum the add needs to run now...beautiful. a

    As my dear and aging mum says 'if one person loves another and they want to marry whats the fuss, why not. They parliament should vote and make it legal.'

    Likely, deginitely there are lots of opposite views and some deeply narrow and bigoted ideas, but chances are also there is a wave of the population that might just wash right over the No's and make equality YES and a part of our Australian lanscapes.

    May equality become law soon and soon.
    Lets get married Australia.
     
    #12 Imjustjulien, Aug 22, 2017
  13. Spot

    Spot
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    I'm so nervous about this, I know a lot of people here that are strongly against it...I'm really hoping it's legalized but I have a bad feeling. I wish I could vote
    :frowning2:
     
    #13 Spot, Aug 27, 2017
  14. junebug99

    junebug99
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    I think everyone should have the right to get married no matter who you love. It shouldn't be up to governments to dictate who you love. Most of probably don't know what love is anyways.
     
    #14 junebug99, Aug 29, 2017
  15. aussielefty

    aussielefty
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    I went on my first march on the weekend, for th same sex marriage marage equality vote in australia.
    the weather wasnt much but good turn out for my little town...
    I hope some day Ill get to marrry some one ...
     
    #15 aussielefty, Aug 30, 2017
  16. Kira

    Kira
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    The numbers don't look too bad so far, and I hope it stays that way so progress can be made.

    I hope the end results make it clear to the hollow-headed individuals that they need to do more thinking.
     
    #16 Kira, Aug 30, 2017
  17. aussielefty

    aussielefty
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    i just hope its not left up to one person,ie prime minister ...
     
    #17 aussielefty, Aug 30, 2017
  18. Imjustjulien

    Imjustjulien
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    Yes
    Not sure about the number, but it is quite high, and all going well we will all be pleasantly surprised. People in general, beyond those on the fringes, just want to get on with it. "Enough talking, whats the problem...if they love each other why not"is the mantra in my circle and in lots of letters of editors. Lets vote for equality Australia.
     
    #18 Imjustjulien, Sep 7, 2017
  19. YermanTom

    YermanTom
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    If every gay Australian gets five straight friends to vote yes you are in with a chance of it passing.
    So get out there and start talking to your friends, acquaintances, family and colleagues.
    It is important to show the world that the Irish vote was not just a one of anomaly.
     
    #19 YermanTom, Sep 7, 2017
  20. Imjustjulien

    Imjustjulien
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    Wonderful....lets do it
     
    #20 Imjustjulien, Sep 7, 2017
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