I am continually astonished that in a world of potentially catastrophic climate change, a world with how many wars raging, a world in which the economic system is under threat and perhaps falling apart, in this world the prime-time and politically defining debate in Australia is to do or not to do same sex marriage.
A very disappointing priority.

Dear halduell,

Are you maintaining we shouldn't consider the issue at all? Are you disappointed that you can't constrain parliament to consider only the issues that you find important?

Political parties have platforms which they put forth before elections. I think pols should vote on matters contained in the platform as the platform dictates. I also think all other votes should be according to the conscience of the parliamentarian informed by the wishes of the constituency and the good of Australia and the world.

It is only a mystery if one still perceives the LNP as a 'liberal' party. It hasn't been such since the advent of the Howard years and beyond

David f

'Political parties have platforms which they put forth before elections.'

Yes and again our PM lied. The state of a person's conscience who want this lifestyle accepted by marriage law is very sick.

Just a quick correction to the Author's by-line at the end of the article. It should read "Yuri Koszarycz WAS a Senior Lecturer in the School of Theology, McAuley Campus, Australian Catholic University." I retired from the university in 2010.

Dear runner,

I agree with you. Our prime minister lied. I find that completely unacceptable. Unfortunately we rarely have the choice between an honourable and a dishonourable person. All we can do is support the lesser of two evils. We don't even vote for the prime minister but for some noogie head belonging to the party of the prime minister. It would be good to have a prime minister who tells the truth, keeps commitments and is primarily concerned with the good of the country and the world. I think such people exist, but I don't think they can get very far in politics.