Friday 29th of March 2024

a plebiscite is not binding to parliament...

in turdy's footsteps...

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will not say if he will allow a parliamentary vote on same-sex marriage after his plan for a plebiscite was blocked by the Opposition.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has declared that an "expensive, divisive" plebiscite on same-sex marriage would hurt gay people, and confirmed that Labor will vote against it.

Mr Shorten is calling for a free vote on the issue in Parliament — but Mr Turnbull has refused to be drawn on whether he will permit that.

"It's all very well to say you know the Senate won't vote for it — we respect the Senate," he said.

"The bill isn't even in the Senate yet. The Senate has to deal with the bill.

"That's the focus. We are delivering on our commitment to the Australian people to bring a plebiscite before the Parliament."

The Prime Minister is continuing to demand that Labor back the plebiscite.

"I'm not going to go follow Bill Shorten down his highly political road of trying to subvert a straightforward democratic process, of trying to say to the Australian people you shouldn't have a say," Mr Turnbull said.

"Mr Shorten supported a plebiscite of this kind only three years ago … we have a mandate for a plebiscite and we are asking the Senate to do its job and support it."

read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-11/same-sex-marriage-labor-to-block-plebiscite-legislation/7921472

 

Of course Turnbull is following in Turdy's footsteps... The plebiscite should have been made into a REFERNDUM. A referendum is binding to parliament, a plebiscite is not. For Malcolm to blame Labor's "political games, is a bit rich... The whole thing ws desined by the Libs (CONservatives) to fail.

Time for Malcolm to do the right thing and support the introduction of a proper marriage equality bill in Parliament.

 

as clear as a turdy...

abbott stays firm

yes, prime minister...

Super sleuth Richard Koser discovers a sit-com revival of the British 'Yes Prime Minister' left in an ABC drama department's fax machine.

THERE WAS a time when the ABC played certain BBC shows on high rotation. Now that Emperor Rupertine has tempted the BBC to the dark side, the ABC has turned in desperation to recreating classic shows.

The following script was spotted on the fax machine in the ABC drama department (second broom cupboard, third floor, 700 Harris St, Ultimo NSW 2007). It appears to be an attempt to revive the classic British sit-com Yes, Prime Minister, in an Australian setting.

Setting: PM’s office, Canberra

PM sits intently at desk, with two desktop screens in front of him, tablet computer in his left hand. His wrist is beeping. In front of him stands his trusty? lieutenant and his gofer.

PM:

George, why have we come to a screeching halt on the gay marriage thing? We’ve been talking about this for a year, and just when I thought we were making headway the whole thing is going to hell in a handbasket!

George:

It’s a shame, Parliament blocking this wonderful idea of yours.

PM:

Idea of mine? Are you sure? I thought it was a policy hangover I inherited from the previous guy?

George:

Yes, prime minister, but it was a wonderful idea to stick to your principles. 

PM:

But they’re not my principles! It simply seemed like a good idea at the time, a way to placate the far-right while appealing to the majority’s instinct for democracy and at the same time wedging the opposition by backing the idea of a public vote, but it was a very practical decision, rather than principled.

George:

I meant your overriding principle: “Remain Prime Minister at all costs.”

PM:

Oh, right. Yes, well, I thought it was a foolproof plan. I can’t understand what went wrong.

George:

It’s a mystery, Prime Minister. It’s hard to understand why people would object to the Government spending a vast amount of money on a pointless exercise in faux-democracy which has already excited some of the more primordial elements of the party base, who have kicked up a tantrum that any three-year old would be proud of. Some of them even threatened to hold their breath until they pass out and we know they can do it.

PM:

But I thought we had the numbers in the parliament to force through the legislation?

Barnaby:

We did, but that was before you called the election and very nearly lost. Now we don’t have the numbers.

George:

Thank you for reminding us, Barnaby. Yes, the neanderthals inside the party have friends in parliament outside the party, who are emboldening our fringe elements. Also, people have changed their mind about spending $200m on a vote which has such an obvious outcome.

PM:

Which people?

George:

Well, the voters, for example. Although 64 per cent of Australians support gay marriage, or “marriage equality” as the femiNazis are saying these day, they would prefer we sort it out in parliament instead of in a plebiscite.

PM:

I suppose now that they’ve seen the vitriol stirred up by the free speech warriors, they’re not sure it’s a good idea to let them off the leash completely. Do you remember when Cory Bernardi insisted on screening that movie to make his point?

Barnaby:

Three men and a Corgi?

PM:

What a disaster! Where did he even find that?

George:

I’m sure it’s most prudent to not begin to speculate upon the provenance of certain audio-visual products in my colleague’s possession.

Barnaby:

You might have to explain metadata to him again.

PM:

Yes, George, you do that. That always gets a laugh.

George:

He always says it was for research purposes, just like Fred Nile.

PM:

I suppose I couldn’t change my mind as well, and allow a free vote in parliament?

Barnaby:

We all know that will lead straight to a free vote in the party room.

PM:

You’re quite right, we don’t want to have too much democracy.

George:

Maybe this will turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

PM:

How so?

George:

I mean, the same way it can give you a boost in the polls when it turns out you’ve got a gay nephew or something.

Barnaby:

Didn’t work for Tony Abbott, did it?

PM:

Maybe I should get some legal advice on whether we can have a free vote in parliament without calling it a free vote.

George (stern voice):

Might I remind you that under section 1234 of the Parliamentary Protocol Act of last week, all Government officials need to speak to me before seeking legal advice. That includes you, Prime Minister.

PM (sighs):

Can I …

George (stern voice continues):

I’ll consider it. Requests of this nature are generally considered on the first Tuesday of every month except in the case of the Melbourne Cup. So I’ll get back to you in early December.

PM (hopelessly):

I went to Mardi Gras, you know.

Barnaby (mutters):

Lucky bugger.

You can follow Richard Koser on Twitter @NearlyTheNews.

 

https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/yes-prime-minister-abc-revival-of-british-hit-kicks-off-with-ssm-plebiscite,9594

sinodinos should shut up...

Cabinet secretary Arthur Sinodinos has quoted Labor powerbroker Don Farrell’s intention to change his vote on marriage equality to justify the Coalition’s position on a plebiscite, saying sometimes party members have to compromise in order to keep a unified party position.

The new deputy Labor leader in the Senate, Farrell, told the Sunday Telegraph he would vote for marriage equality in the parliament even though he supported the traditional view of marriage between a man and a woman.

Farrell is a powerful member of the right within Labor so his declaration ends any doubt that remaining opposition from the right could challenge a binding vote – leaving Labor free to capitalise on the split within the Coalition leading up to the next election.

 

read more:

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/oct/16/marriage-equality...

hello canberra...

Mike Bennett: ‘I’ve always thought life would get better for gay kids — but it hasn’t’


MIKE BENNETT, The Sunday Telegraph

March 5, 2017 12:00am

AT 17, I was petrified. By 23, after I’d worked up the courage to tell my family and friends, things looked better.

Reaching 30, I figured I was about 85 per cent there.

Although there’s still that niggling feeling: “What do I tell my boss when he asks what my girlfriend’s name is?” there’s also a palpable reassurance that genuine acceptance must be just around the corner.

Now, seven years on, and for some time I’ve hit a stalemate. But I also realised the difference I’ve always felt is not a difference at all, it’s an ­inequality. And it’s not good enough. And it takes its toll.

Last week a US study published in JAMA Pediatrics ­stated those American states that had legalised gay marriage saw a drop in attempted suicide rates among gay youth: “We estimated that, each year, same-sex marriage policies would be associated with more than 134,000 fewer adolescents attempting suicide.”

It concluded: “Policymakers should consider the mental health consequences of same-sex marriage policies.”

Hello? Canberra?

read more:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/mike-bennett-ive-always-th...

still not giving a shit...

 

Turnbull brushes off business leaders’ fresh appeal for marriage equality

CEOs sign letter to PM urging bill to legalise same-sex marriage, a move criticised by Peter Dutton as shoving ‘your politically correct views down our throats’

read more:

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/mar/17/business-leader-s...

 

"We need to have the ability for both sides to be heard and we're in a politically correct age it seems, which I can't tolerate, and I think a lot of Australians are of the same view," he said.

Mr Dutton said he wanted a respectful debate on marriage equality, but added that publicly listed companies shouldn't take political stances and business leaders should not prioritise debating moral issues over running their companies.

read more:

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/peter-dutton-says-...