Briar Rose says: "It is a very evil ( not a word I use lightly) thing to argue that these low motives can be solely attributed to homosexuals, when the evidence is overwhelmingly otherwise." I would agree with you Briar and so would Bill Muehlenberg. Why do you set up a straw man like this. It is the case that the overwhelming majority of children do not have gay or lesbian parents because homosexuals are a very small percentage of the community and are engaged in sterile sexual relationships. None of this changes the facts of the matter as outlined by Mr Muehlenberg. The academic studies are in. What a pity that the majority of Lower House Members of the NSW Parliament have taken no notice.

And Tilly J says: "I don't understand why people are against the love of two people? Also does the author think about the thousands of children in Australia in happy same sex couple families who would be hurt by this article? Why do you have so much hate towards people wanting to enjoy the love of their partner and look after a child?" There is not a word in Mr Muehlenberg which is unloving let alone "against love". Again this is setting up straw men and not dealing with the well argued position of one who has bothered to get the facts. The truth is what matters. Not whether or not some people "can't handle the truth" as Tom Cruise would say

i never got the oppurtunity to meet my dad, so when anyone starts declaring they dont need both their mum and dad it gets me so damn angry.
Do we have to wait until the future generation of children of same sex marriage grow up with their deep rooted doubts and insecurities to learn of the truth behind the affects of this social experiment..
A child deserves their right to have both mum and dad, many a single parent can play the "role" of the opposite parent, NONE can fill the void of not knowing them!
As if not knowing your biological parents is not enough for a kid to deal with, add to that having to justify to his peers that his parents are gay is not only unfair, but selfish on the gay parents part!
but thats just my opinion!
A gay parent may offer unconditional love and be fantastic parents but they can also be pathetic and abusive morons as some heterosexual parents out there are too.
Being gay dont make you a great parent, a great parent does what is in the best interest of the child, children need the love and role model of a loving mother AND father, which can not be achieved in a same sex adoption!

well said mumsy!

I so sick of hearing - "why are you against two people loving one another and living in a relationship that reflects that". We aren't, though studies show that homosexual relationships last a relatively short time in comparison to heterosexual relationships so I'd question that the basis for these relationship is actually love and maybe more lust, longing or need than love, which involves putting the other person first. But we are *for* two people loving one another (in the true sense of putting that person first) from the point of a parent and child relationship - and that's what we're asking people to do - think about the kids, not yourselves for just a second.

The best situation is dad and mum - they need both, and no matter how good a parent (single or gay) you may be, ultimately a child needs both for learning a deep sense of self-realisation and validation.

Johnny that is by far the dumbest question i've ever come across on this forum! And briar rose your endorsement is rather silly.

Johnny Rotten, no i haven't told him as such. But he has expressed no intention of wanting a child. Seems pretty content with his cats. He however has 'married' his partner under British law (not recognised by Australia). In that circumstance i expressed my views, but i still ended up attending the 'wedding' (which ended up a pagan hand fasting ceremony much to my entire Christian families surprise). Note i don't actually support changing the marriage act to allow gay marriage but that is not what this debate is about.

Unlike the 'marriage', a child adoption directly impacts the child. Whole different ball park.

As for "Have you told him that you don't think he would be as good a parent as you because he is gay?". That is a ridiculous question but i suspect you know that. This is not a question of who can exhibit better parenting skills. It is a question of whether an adopting family can provide the optimum environment for an unwanted child. And it is tried and tested that this is a mother and father. My brother and his partner would not be able to provide for a child in the ways a mother could. That is a biological fact.