Yesterday the PM moved to support a conscience vote on marriage equality at
the upcoming ALP National Conference. But if this becomes the position of the
ALP National Conference, a bill to bring about marriage equality is likely to
fail - as the Coalition will likely vote on block against it. We’ve
created a new newspaper ad to highlight why marriage equality matters. Check out
the ad and click here to chip in!
The Labor party’s National Conference, their highest decision-making forum, begins in just two weeks. Right now, senior party leaders are grappling with what to do on the question of marriage equality – whether to push for it to become formal party policy, binding all Labor MPs to vote for changes to the Marriage Act, or whether to allow individual Labor MPs to vote how they choose.
Normally we think conscience votes are a good thing. Problem is, the other side aren’t playing by the same rules. They’ve instructed all coalition MPs to vote in a block against any amendments to the Marriage Act, meaning a conscience vote isn’t really a conscience vote and is likely to fail.
It's easy for some to shrug their shoulders and say the pursuit of equality isn't worth the trouble. The truth is, this reform isn't about simply about symbolism - it's about abolishing an injustice that has concrete impacts on thousands of people's lives.
Right now, votes are starting to firm up in favor of a binding vote in support of marriage equality. If the ALP National Conference decides to commit the Government to change, we could see laws pass our Parliament within months.
That's why we’ve created a new ad: an open letter to Labor Party delegates, from a psychologist with more than 25 experience in the field. It’s time our politicians faced up to the reality of institutionalised discrimination and think about abolishing that injustice.
View the ad now and donate to put it in tomorrow’s newspaper: www.getup.org.au/conscience
Senior psychologist Paul Martin knows from experience (and from research) that same-sex attracted Australians are twice as likely to experience a high or very high level of psychological distress and are four times more likely to have attempted suicide.1 He tells the heart-wrenching story of a young man who was able to change his father's mind about "bloody poofters", but feels like giving up because he can't change the law that treats him like a second-class citizen.
When our politicians send a message to our young people that they aren’t equal – that they aren’t good enough to participate fully in our society’s sacred contracts and rites of passage, simply because of who they choose to love – they do a great disservice to us all.
Chip in to fund our new ad, appearing in papers nationally tomorrow.
Research confirms that the majority of Australians are now in favour of marriage equality,2 and that number is higher among Labor voters. It’s time for our politicians to step into alignment with the views of their own voters, as well as that which is fair and just.
Thanks for all that you do,
The GetUp team.
P.S. This week a Nielsen Poll revealed that 62% of Australians and 71% of Labor voters are in favour of marriage equality. Momentum is on our side - but now we need our politicians to match our support with their voes. Check out our latest ad designed to do just that: http://www.getup.org.au/conscience.
1 Australian Bureau of Statistics (2007) “National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing”, http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4326.0
2 Sydney Morning Herald (November, 2011) "PM grants conscience vote, dooming gay marriage", http://www.smh.com.au/national/pm-grants-conscience-vote-dooming-gay-marriage-20111114-1nfm9.html
The Labor party’s National Conference, their highest decision-making forum, begins in just two weeks. Right now, senior party leaders are grappling with what to do on the question of marriage equality – whether to push for it to become formal party policy, binding all Labor MPs to vote for changes to the Marriage Act, or whether to allow individual Labor MPs to vote how they choose.
Normally we think conscience votes are a good thing. Problem is, the other side aren’t playing by the same rules. They’ve instructed all coalition MPs to vote in a block against any amendments to the Marriage Act, meaning a conscience vote isn’t really a conscience vote and is likely to fail.
It's easy for some to shrug their shoulders and say the pursuit of equality isn't worth the trouble. The truth is, this reform isn't about simply about symbolism - it's about abolishing an injustice that has concrete impacts on thousands of people's lives.
Right now, votes are starting to firm up in favor of a binding vote in support of marriage equality. If the ALP National Conference decides to commit the Government to change, we could see laws pass our Parliament within months.
That's why we’ve created a new ad: an open letter to Labor Party delegates, from a psychologist with more than 25 experience in the field. It’s time our politicians faced up to the reality of institutionalised discrimination and think about abolishing that injustice.
View the ad now and donate to put it in tomorrow’s newspaper: www.getup.org.au/conscience
Senior psychologist Paul Martin knows from experience (and from research) that same-sex attracted Australians are twice as likely to experience a high or very high level of psychological distress and are four times more likely to have attempted suicide.1 He tells the heart-wrenching story of a young man who was able to change his father's mind about "bloody poofters", but feels like giving up because he can't change the law that treats him like a second-class citizen.
When our politicians send a message to our young people that they aren’t equal – that they aren’t good enough to participate fully in our society’s sacred contracts and rites of passage, simply because of who they choose to love – they do a great disservice to us all.
Chip in to fund our new ad, appearing in papers nationally tomorrow.
Research confirms that the majority of Australians are now in favour of marriage equality,2 and that number is higher among Labor voters. It’s time for our politicians to step into alignment with the views of their own voters, as well as that which is fair and just.
Thanks for all that you do,
The GetUp team.
P.S. This week a Nielsen Poll revealed that 62% of Australians and 71% of Labor voters are in favour of marriage equality. Momentum is on our side - but now we need our politicians to match our support with their voes. Check out our latest ad designed to do just that: http://www.getup.org.au/conscience.
1 Australian Bureau of Statistics (2007) “National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing”, http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4326.0
2 Sydney Morning Herald (November, 2011) "PM grants conscience vote, dooming gay marriage", http://www.smh.com.au/national/pm-grants-conscience-vote-dooming-gay-marriage-20111114-1nfm9.html
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