Other local gay media have tried and failed to get an interview with Australia’s new Prime Minister on the gay marriage issue – but it took a quick-thinking young Same Samer to get results.

“This morning 2dayFM was taking calls to ask Julia Gillard a question, I took the opportunity to call through (took a few attempts but I got through) and my question was “what is her view on same sex marriage, and would she consider legalising it?” typed 20-year-old Tatsuya on our Forum today.

“This is the frank answer, we’d got very clear Labor party policy on this and it won’t be changing – that we believe the marriage act is appropriate in its current form, that it’s recognising that marriage is between a man and a woman, but we have as a government taken steps to equalise treatment for gay couples, in the things that government does in social security benefits and the like.”

Pressed for her personal views on the issue by the show’s co-host Jackie O, Gillard stood firm. “Look, that is my view, I think that’s where we’re at as a community now, and I think it’s appropriate that for these very sensitive issues that we’re reflecting community views.”

Hear the audio clip from 2DayFM below.

Not good enough

Since recent polling showed 60% of Australians would support same-sex marriage equality, its advocates believe Gillard owes us an explanation for why she doesn’t.

Rodney Croome, spokesperson for the Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group, summed up the disappointment felt by many in our LGBT communities today after the Prime Minister’s comments.

“Other political leaders have appealed to faith, procreation, tradition, or biological differences between the sexes to justify their personal opposition to same-sex marriages, but as a history- making female leader with no religion and no children none of these reasons are available to Julia Gillard.”

“She owes the 60% of Australians who support marriage equality an explanation for why she has let them down.”