Marriage Equality: 40,000 flyers target pollies

The campaign to win majority support for marriage equality in the Tasmanian Upper House has begun in earnest with flyers delivered to over 40,000 households in the lead up to the May 4th Upper House election.

The May election is crucial to the future of marriage equality in Tasmania, and nationally, because representatives from all three seats voted “no” during last year’s debate on the Same-Sex Marriage Bill which was defeated by only two votes.

Now advocates are hoping they can either pressure sitting members to change their vote, or unseat them in favour of pro-equality candidates.

Rodney Croome, spokesperson for the Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group, said the scale of the Tasmanian campaign is unprecedented.

“Over the Easter break 60 volunteers will letterbox more than 40,000 homes in three electorates across Hobart and the North West Coast.”

“Our flyers explain why marriage is good for couples, for families and for for Tasmania and urge voters to support candidates who support reform.”

“A majority of Tasmanians support marriage equality and we will be doing all we can to ensure the Upper House represents that majority.”

The campaign will also include canvassing lobbing of voters through social media.

In each seat there is only one candidate against the Same-Sex Marriage Bill with all the rest in favour.

In the Hobart seats of Nelson and Pembroke the sitting members, Jim Wilkinson and Vanessa Goodwin face a field of contenders who all support the Bill, several of them making it one of their key election platforms.

In the North West seat of Montgomery the sitting member, Sue Smith’s, retirement has opened the seat to a wide field of contenders all of whom support marriage equality with the exception of the Liberal candidate, Leonie Hiscutt.

Last year Tasmania became the first state in Australia to pass marriage equality legislation through a House of Parliament with the Same-Sex Marriage Bill passing the Lower House overwhelmingly. The Bill was only narrowly defeated in the Upper House.

On Thursday, Upper House member, Ruth Forrest, took the first step towards having the Bill debated again by re-introducing it to the Upper House agenda.

More information on which candidates support and oppose the Same-Sex Marriage Bill can be found here

For a news report from today’s Hobart Mercury click here

Marriage equality Easter Bunny cartoon also from today’s Hobart Mercury can be found here

• EQUALITY ADVOCATES REJECT LIBERAL ASSERTION FLYERS BREACH ELECTORAL ACT
LIBERALS SHOULD STAND UP FOR FREE SPEECH NOT TRY TO CURB IT

Tasmanian marriage equality advocates have hit back at claims by the Liberal Party that flyers on the issue being distributed in three Tasmanian Upper House electorates may breach the Electoral Act.

Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said,

“Our advice is there is that our flyers are well within the law.”

“The Liberal Party should be standing up for free speech not trying to curb it.”

Liberal Party spokespeople say the flyers, which outline the case for marriage equality and identify which candidates support and oppose reform, breach the Electoral Act because candidates cannot be named without their permission and because the flyers promote one particular candidate.

Mr Croome said,

“The Act allows us liberty to refer to all candidates up until the writs are issued on Tuesday April 3rd at 6pm, and rather than promoting a single candidate our flyers simply indicate the range of candidates who support reform.”

“The Liberal Party is simply trying to divert attention from the fact that its opposition to marriage equality is out-of-step with public opinion.”

• ADVOCATES HOPE TONY ABBOTT WILL EVOLVE ON MARRIAGE EQUALITY THANKS TO DAUGHTERS’ SUPPORT

Marriage equality advocates have welcomed support for the issue from two of the daughters of Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott.

Frances and Bridgette Abbott have said they believe same-sex couples should be able to marry and have discussed the matter with their father.

Australian Marriage Equality national director, Rodney Croome, said,

“Frances and Bridgette Abbott’s support for marriage equality reflects strong support for the issue among young Australians.”

“We hope their stance, together with their aunt Christine’s same-sex relationship and growing support for marriage equality within the Coalition, will encourage Tony Abbott to evolve on the issue, at least by allowing Coalition MPs a conscience vote.”

News of Tony Abbott’s daughters’ support for marriage equality comes as Lord Melbourne Lord Mayor and former Victorian Liberal leader, Robert Doyle, came out in favour of marriage equality ( here ).

For a report on Frances and Bridgette Abbott’s support for marriage equality click here

• Same-sex marriage: Tasmania becoming a social experiment at the expense of our economy

Plans to reintroduce a Bill to legalise same-sex marriage is just further evidence that Tasmania is being used as a social experiment at the expense of our economy, said Mr Guy Barnett Spokesperson for the Save Marriage Coalition.

“Whether you agree or disagree with same-sex marriage, euthanasia, abortion and other social and moral issues Tasmanians are telling me the priority for our government should be the economy, keeping jobs in Tasmania, rebuilding our health system, keeping police on the street and teachers in our schools.

The Parliament must get its priorities right if we have any chance of an economic recovery.

Tasmanians are fed up with the fervent pursuit of this green agenda supported by Labor lackeys.

‘Marriage’ is a matter for the Australian Parliament and section 51(21) confirms this. The former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Tasmania Hon Bill Cox has said the Same-sex Marriage Bill “would create a legal mine field in respect of rights, and make Tasmania a legal laughing stock”. It is obvious that as a nation we could end up with a mishmash of laws causing untold confusion and certain costly High Court litigation.

The Premier Lara Giddings in pursuing same-sex marriage as a priority is breaking an election promise as well as contradicting her own views on the constitutionality of the Bill (refer note below).

Same-sex marriage legislation was defeated overwhelmingly in the Federal parliament last year and then again defeated in the Legislative Council. Why waste more parliamentary time when the budget needs fixing, the forest industry is on its knees, and our productive construction and retail industries are doing it tough. We will be urging the Legislative Council to reject the motion to reintroduce this Bill.

Despite some overseas countries reconsidering legalising same-sex marriage less than 15 of the 200 plus countries in the world have legalised it.

Marriage is a pro-child institution. Same-sex marriage would deny children the right to either a mum or a dad. Mums and Dads are different but they are both important. We want every child coming into this world wherever reasonably possible to have the chance of a Mum and a Dad.

Marriage is not a fashion to be updated and there should be no doubt about its definition.

Marriage is a bedrock institution worth protecting and we will be ready for the fight to protect and support marriage between a man and a woman whenever it may come, Mr Barnett concluded.

Note

The Premier said “legal advice we get back from the solicitor-general is that you can’t do it here in Tasmania alone, that it is an issue under the Australian Constitution. The Australian Marriage Act is a Federal Parliament piece of legislation and at the state level you can’t go it alone. I don’t really want to go out there on this issue and have the Australian Government take us to the federal courts, to the High Court and be spending money on legal action when I’ve got strong legal advice of my own to say it cannot be done.” (Source-ABC 5 December 2011)

• Rodney Croome, in TT Media: “Tony Mulder’s statement is regrettable because he is paid to represent voters in his electorate, not voters in other electorates.” “If he is a man of principle he will stick with the values that saw him vote for marriage equality last year rather than swaying in the wind.” “Our goal is not to have a referendum on marriage equality, but simply to inform voters about the issue.” HERE

• Rodney Croome: Abbott’s free-vote ban will cost Coalition votes