Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT
19 Sep 2012
A private bill to legalise same-sex marriages received a crushing defeat in the House of Representatives this afternoon with just 42 votes in favour and a resounding 98 against.
The bill was brought by Labor backbencher, Stephen Jones.
"The overwhelming vote in the House of Representatives in favour of marriage between a man and a woman is greatly welcomed," says Chris Meney, Director of the Archdiocese of Sydney's Life, Marriage and Family Centre. "It is also a vote affirming the truth of how marriage has always been understood."
Describing the issue as divisive and one "which has found people of good will, both homosexual and heterosexual, on both sides of the debate," Mr Meney says it is important for "us to now move on as a community."
"Given the broad consultation over a significant period and the number of bills which have been introduced on this issue it is to be hoped our elected representatives will now be free to devote the necessary time to other issues which are of importance to all Australians," he says.
The bill known as the Marriage Amendment Bill 2012 was first introduced to the parliament on the eve of St Valentine's Day this year. It presented amendments to be made to the 1961 Marriage Act to enable same-sex marriage to be recognised.
The same day, Greens MP Adam Bandt and Independent MP Andrew Wilkie joined forces and introduced the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2012, which asked Parliament to approve amendments to the Marriage Act "to remove discriminatory references based on sexual orientation and gender identity and allow marriage regardless of sex, sexual orientation or gender identity."
Now seven months later, Parliament has voted down the first bill with most expecting the second one to suffer the same fate.
The coalition did not allow a conscience on the bill, voting as a block.
Despite allowing Labor MPs a conscience vote on the issue, Prime Minister Julia Gillard refused to vote in favour of legalisation same sex marriage. Her front bench was also split on the vote with Deputy PM, Wayne Swan and Immigration Minister, Chris Bowen also voting down the bill.
Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd also changed his mind and voted against the bill.
But despite backbencher Stephen Jones bill being defeated, many of the Gillard Government Cabinet voted in favour of same sex marriage including Attorney General Nicola Roxon; Leader of the House Anthony Albanese; Defence Minister Stephen Smith, Schools Minister Peter Garrett, Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten; Minister for Health Tanya Plibersek; Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Jenny Macklin; Minister for Early Childhood and Childcare Kate Ellis and Minister of Finance Penny Wong.
Minister Wong, whose same-sex partner gave birth to a baby girl in December last year, has vowed to fight on.
Tony Windsor was the only independent MP in the Lower House to voted against the bill with Rob Oakeshott and Andrew Wilkie both voting for it.
Despite the defeat of the Stephen Jones' bill, this week's lower and upper house debates on same sex marriage have not been without their casualties.
Earlier today South Australian Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi was forced to resign as Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott's Personal Parliamentary Secretary after he claimed that permitting same sex marriage could lead to demands for the legalisation of polygamy and bestiality.
But according to Francine Pirola, a member of the Australian Marriage and Family Council the overall damage from the ongoing debates over same sex marriage and the many bills brought before federal and state parliaments, has been wide-reaching effect and has undermined marriage itself.
"People's confidence in what they understood marriage to be has been undermined for many years by t his debates as well as by the increasingly high levels of divorce," she says. "They are no longer sure what marriage is and are increasingly confused and uncertain about what constitutes a marriage."
The increasing numbers of same sex couples adopting or raising children of their own adds to the confusion.
"The messages people are hearing today is that marriage may be for life, or it might not be. They are also hearing that marriage can be for the procreation of children but that this is not mandatory or even important."
While the crushing defeat of Federal Parliament's bills to alter the Marriage Act may see a respite of several years before the issue is revisited, this is not the case with the states.
Tasmania's Labor Government has already flagged it intends to legalise same sex marriage within the next few months. The same thing may also happen in NSW with Premier Barry O'Farrell announcing earlier today that he intends to allow a conscience vote for Liberal MPs on a bill to permit same sex marriage which will be introduced within a few months by a group of Greens, Liberal, Nationals and Labor MPs.
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
19 Sep 2012
Marriage in Australia Means a Union Between a Man and a Woman
The bill was brought by Labor backbencher, Stephen Jones.
"The overwhelming vote in the House of Representatives in favour of marriage between a man and a woman is greatly welcomed," says Chris Meney, Director of the Archdiocese of Sydney's Life, Marriage and Family Centre. "It is also a vote affirming the truth of how marriage has always been understood."
Describing the issue as divisive and one "which has found people of good will, both homosexual and heterosexual, on both sides of the debate," Mr Meney says it is important for "us to now move on as a community."
"Given the broad consultation over a significant period and the number of bills which have been introduced on this issue it is to be hoped our elected representatives will now be free to devote the necessary time to other issues which are of importance to all Australians," he says.
Premier of Tasmania Lara Giddings wants to legalise same sex marriage in the islabnd state
The same day, Greens MP Adam Bandt and Independent MP Andrew Wilkie joined forces and introduced the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2012, which asked Parliament to approve amendments to the Marriage Act "to remove discriminatory references based on sexual orientation and gender identity and allow marriage regardless of sex, sexual orientation or gender identity."
Now seven months later, Parliament has voted down the first bill with most expecting the second one to suffer the same fate.
The coalition did not allow a conscience on the bill, voting as a block.
Despite allowing Labor MPs a conscience vote on the issue, Prime Minister Julia Gillard refused to vote in favour of legalisation same sex marriage. Her front bench was also split on the vote with Deputy PM, Wayne Swan and Immigration Minister, Chris Bowen also voting down the bill.
Chris Meney, Director of Life, Marriage and Family Centre
But despite backbencher Stephen Jones bill being defeated, many of the Gillard Government Cabinet voted in favour of same sex marriage including Attorney General Nicola Roxon; Leader of the House Anthony Albanese; Defence Minister Stephen Smith, Schools Minister Peter Garrett, Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten; Minister for Health Tanya Plibersek; Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Jenny Macklin; Minister for Early Childhood and Childcare Kate Ellis and Minister of Finance Penny Wong.
Minister Wong, whose same-sex partner gave birth to a baby girl in December last year, has vowed to fight on.
Tony Windsor was the only independent MP in the Lower House to voted against the bill with Rob Oakeshott and Andrew Wilkie both voting for it.
Of 21.5 million Australians less than 34,000 identify as defacto same sex couples
Earlier today South Australian Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi was forced to resign as Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott's Personal Parliamentary Secretary after he claimed that permitting same sex marriage could lead to demands for the legalisation of polygamy and bestiality.
But according to Francine Pirola, a member of the Australian Marriage and Family Council the overall damage from the ongoing debates over same sex marriage and the many bills brought before federal and state parliaments, has been wide-reaching effect and has undermined marriage itself.
MP Stephen Jones introduced one three bills before Parliament to legalise same sex marriage
The increasing numbers of same sex couples adopting or raising children of their own adds to the confusion.
"The messages people are hearing today is that marriage may be for life, or it might not be. They are also hearing that marriage can be for the procreation of children but that this is not mandatory or even important."
While the crushing defeat of Federal Parliament's bills to alter the Marriage Act may see a respite of several years before the issue is revisited, this is not the case with the states.
Tasmania's Labor Government has already flagged it intends to legalise same sex marriage within the next few months. The same thing may also happen in NSW with Premier Barry O'Farrell announcing earlier today that he intends to allow a conscience vote for Liberal MPs on a bill to permit same sex marriage which will be introduced within a few months by a group of Greens, Liberal, Nationals and Labor MPs.
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
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