SX News/Weekly (New South Wales, Australia), News (Issue 289, Page 3)
by Peter Hackney & Katrina Fox, 10/08/2006
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POLITICIANS CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT FROM SAME-SEX MARRIAGE RALLY SX News/Weekly (New South Wales, Australia), News (Issue 289, Page 3) by Peter Hackney & Katrina Fox, 10/08/2006 |
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Greens' senator lambasts Labor; Nationals pass civil unions motion
The dearth of politicians planning to attend or speak at the rally for the National Day of Action in support of same-sex marriage in Sydney this Sunday has been lambasted by Greens senator Kerry Nettle (pictured). Labor. MP Penny Sharpe and Nettle are the only representatives of the major political parties who will speak at the event. "It doesn't say anything positive," Nettle told SX. "I think the important thing for the community to remember is that they have to keep the pressure up on all politicians. If people don't continue to~ remind them, it will drop off the radar. And you can be sure that politicians will let that happen, because they want it to go away, and they want to forget about it." She was particularly scathing about the Labor party. "They haven't shown themselves to be any better than the Federal Government and I think that because of that, a lot of gays and lesbians are disillusioned with Labor and they have every right to be." However Sharpe, who is in a relationship with a woman but has "no plans to get married" said she did not feel conflicted being a member of a party which does not support same-sex marriage, adding that there were differences between federal and state Labor on the issue. "At the state and territory level, it was Labor who attempted to introduce the Civil Unions Act in the ACT, and it was the Federal Government who opposed it," Sharpe said. "Federal Labor did not." Shadow Attorney-General Nicola Roxon confirmed she will not be attending any of the čyents being held in all states across the country this weekend. When asked to respond to gays and lesbians who believe it is unfair that she can get married and they cannot, she said: "I can understand their frustration." Labor MP Tanya Plibersek, while refusing to be drawn on whether she is personally in favour of gay marriage, said she "supports equal treatment for same-sex couples" and is "hoping to attend" the rally in Sydney if she can find time amid other engagements. And while the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (GLRL) declared their support for the day of action at the eleventh hour in last week's SX, the organisation declined an invitation to speak on the day. Co-convenor David Scamell said this was because it had decided "not to take a lead role" on the day. "Our focus is on ensuring we get our report out to the community about relationship recognition consultations," he told SX. The Lobby will be sending out an email to members stating its support for the day of action "hopefully in next couple of days", Scaniell added. |
Meanwhile the National Party in Western Australia voted to pass a motion brought by the Young Nationals supporting civil unions for same-sex couples, The Sund4y Age reported this week. Nationals' leader Brendon Grylls confirmed that the party would take the policy, which is likely to shock some conservative supporters, to the next state election.
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