Pro-family activism that makes a difference!
 
 

Another VICTORY in Australia: Tasmania Parliament rejects "gay marriage"!

"My electorate do not support it," says MP

POSTED: Sept 28, 2012

The debate in the Upper House on the "gay marriage" bill.

It's been a great month for the pro-family cause "down under." After the Australian Parliament rejected "gay marriage" last week, it was announced that the state Parliament of the Australian state of Tasmania would immediately be voting on it.

Last month it passed Tasmania's Lower House by 13 to 11 and it was then awaiting a vote in the Upper House. Since the homosexual groups had been lobbying them heavily, and the Tasmanian Premier was passionately for it, it seemed like a lost cause.

But on Thursday, after two days of debate, it was defeated in the Upper House by 8 to 6. Apparently there was some fear that they were being unduly influenced by the special interests of the homosexual lobby, which didn't square with the average citizens. Plus, it was recognized that since the Australian national Constitution includes marriage as a national issue, there would surely be a court fight which would likely be lost. And finally, the bill created a separate type of marriage called "gay marriage," an unusual approach.

"My electorate do not support it."

You could tell there was uneasiness by tone of the debate. As ABC News in Australia reported:

The final speaker before the vote, Member for Windermere Ivan Dean, had been under enormous pressure but decided to vote against the legislation.

"My basic position is that marriage is between a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life," he said.

"I do not believe on the evidence I have that a majority of Tasmanians support it.

"Evidence suggests that the majority of my electorate do not support it.

"There's no mandate for the Government to move in this direction, and the public have been misled, in my opinion."


After the vote, the Tasmanian Premier was particularly upset. As the ABC article described:

Premier Lara Giddings said it was a disappointing result but the Government would not give up on the reform.

"We will continue this. It's not the end. It's the beginning," Ms Giddings said.

"It took many times for us to get gay law reform through.

"It took many times and attempts to get anti-discrimination law reform through."

Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings angrily addresses the media after the vote defeating "gay marriage."

The other Australian state that is actively pushing this is South Australia. The fight continues there.