Kevin Goes Back On His Word - No Civil Unions
Kevin Rudd told us back in December last year that he wouldn’t stand in the way of the ACT government’s push for civil unions. However yesterday he did just that.
It’s the third time the ACT have had this bill quashed by the Federal government. ACT Attorney-General Simon Corbell said that the Commonwealth threatened to veto the bill if they didn’t amend it to sound less like marriage.
“We are angry, disappointed and frustrated with the approach of our federal colleagues,” said Mr Corbell yesterday. “I am sorry that the Federal Government has taken such a limited and… contradictory view of providing for equality before the law for gay and lesbian people.”
While last week was a big step forward for the gay community, with news of parenting rights and law reform, federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland has this week reminded us that we’ve still a long way to go . The ACT bill refers to couples being able to have a ceremony – and he thinks that’s not something we deserve. We should be happy to settle for a registration scheme.
Late last year Kevin Rudd said, “On these matters, state and territories are answerable to their own jurisdictions. State and territory governments are elected to govern, they are accountable to their constituents.’’ However, he’s singing a different tune this week. According to Corbell, ”[The ACT is] once again being patronised by [their] federal counterparts.”
Meanwhile activist Rodney Croome, from the Australian Coalition For Equality, has spoken out against the decision, comparing it to supporting slavery or denying women the vote.
“What’s particularly disappointing is that the Rudd government refuses to give a proper explanation for its strident opposition to same-sex marriage except to say that traditionally marriage is between a man and a woman,” said Croome on ABC Radio.
“Well traditionally there was slavery and traditionally women didn’t have the vote. But just because that was the tradition doesn’t mean that change couldn’t occur.”
Jim Wallace, from the Australian Christian Lobby, said that he’s glad that the Rudd government has protected the institution of marriage. “Marriage is between a man and a woman. It’s not for two per cent of the population to redefine a majority institution, particularly when it’s so important an institution to a healthy society.”
Of course Jim, keeping one part of the population marginalised is much healthier for our society.
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caloanwalker
said on the 9th May, 2008