Sorry, I forgot the paste the link to that quote. Wish there was an edit button!
http://tinyurl.com/324bz3j

Cornflower, any opposition to Centerlink's "Couples are Couples" initiative are understandable if you look at it like this:
If you were in a same-sex relationship, would you want to be just equal enough only to receive cuts in payments just like heterosexual couples but still not equal enough to get permission to marry?

What Celivia said. It's simply a question of equal rights. Regardless of what any other country does or doesn't do, gay couples who want to marry in Australia are being discriminated against, and that should end.

Cornflower: << ...why has there been such a poor response to Centrelink's Couples are Couples initiative? >>

Gee, I dunno... let me think... oh right - they'd have their income reduced. I imagine that any reduction in a Centrelink benefit would be significant, and quite a disincentive to 'come out' as a couple, wouldn't you think?

Besides which, I thought this discussion's about same-sex marriage, rather then gay de facto couples on welfare benefits.

@jason84-
I would have thought we were talking about relationships whose defining factor is that the partners have sex. Would you be happy to see a couple of mates also entitled to the same rights as married couples? How about two sisters or a grandmother and her housekeeper?

"It seems the government is sending a message saying that our long term relationships are worthless." Why do you care what the government thinks about your relationship? Why do you care what anyone else thinks? You do not have to justify your relationship to anyone. Are you after rights or after some kind of permission?

@ Andrew M. Potts -
"What marriage adds to a relationship is a statement of intention- a statement about their hopes for their relationship to endure and last and that they want their friends and family and their community to understand and respect that intention."
Why do they need that? Why do they feel the need to state their intention? They are free agents and can live their relationships however they like - do they also state their intention about other relationships in their lives with friends and family? Why do they want their community to understand and respect their choices? Are they not comfortable with them in themselves?

Pantho,

Comparing sister-sister marriage to same-sex marriage would be like comparing heterosexual marriage to sister-brother marriage, wouldn't it?

If a grandmother and her housekeeper want to get married, they should be able to- whether the housekeeper is female or male (Who's the Boss?).

"Why do they need that? Why do they feel the need to state their intention?"
Who cares? Perhaps heterosexual couples feel this need and don't have to justify it to anyone, do they? Why should same-sex couples be questioned about why they want to get married and be judged?
As I said, none of anyone's business why they want to get married.

Why all this questioning and interference in the lives of same-sex people?

Celivia is right.
Why is it anyone else's business who marries who?

Why do some people feel threatened by gay couples wanting to marry?

What possible harm can this do to anyone else- religious or not?

I really don't care who marries who, and I still believe that marriage is preferable to de-facto relationships.

However, I would never judge or stop anyone living together as a couple, as long as they are consenting adults.

@Phanto

Typical scare scaremongering. I was hoping to have a debate with you, however when you resort to silly reasoning Im not going to bother with you.

@Cornflower

"If that is so why has there been such a poor response to Centrelink's Couples are Couples initiative?"

Thats because most gay couples are not a clients of Centrelink, So its assumed that Centrelink's Couples are Couples initiative would be pointless to attend and take part in.