Amen to AC....

Another well-argued and interesting article.
At the end of the day, though, being an Australian shouldn't mean that you can't be a Christian.

Intended outraged, ought not be able to discriminate on the grounds that he she, didn't hold with SSM!

Belief alone, no matter how profound, venerated or treasured, proves nought! Verifiable facts are the only thing that PROVES anything!

Ultimately we are all God's creatures, be we gay or straight, love is after all, all that matters!

Now anyone with glib tongue/false inculcated from birth, belief. Replete with flat earth medieval view of the world? That the various shades of grey that is black and white humanity is not the new norm, but always was the old norm!

Just one they refused to see or accept! Can argue for a measure of "ACCEPTABLE" discrimination on those very, self same grounds! And on those same grounds, just not doable!

And can learn their lesson when the rest of the normal range of humanity turn our face away and simply avoid them, their business practises or places of worship! As if they were the unclean lepers in this instance?

For the brainwashed from birth, nothing has really changed and they will continue to spread their false doctrine and try to inculcate it into all others, if they're allowed by this or that legislated exception?

Simply put, we cannot legislate what folk chose to think or believe! But need to win them over with irrefutable proof, reason and logic!

Otherwise, all we do is feed the fires of hate and resentment.

Change will come if we just normalise difference as we did around half a century ago when we finally accepted left handedness as just a normal aberration.

Those who resist and say no, are very much in the minority and just do not serve God! But rather, hate and resident, divisive, cage rattling evil!

Let's do the marriage act and then if we are allowed by our "lords and Masters," a long overdue bill of rights, which can include freedom of religion, freedom of worship and freedom of speech! But never ever the right to discriminate on any grounds, be they race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity!
Alan B.

I totally agree with Alan B.

There are enough protections in the Dean Smith Bill.
There is not a need for any more.
And those that demand more are simply using delaying
tactics. Australia has voted. Let us now legislate.

I think that a totally reasonable default is the repeal of the 2004 changes to the Marriage Act.

Whatever alternative legislation is proposed should be able to get rapid bipartisan support informed by the survey results which give a clear majority preferring the simple change specified in the question without extra elaborations. In the absence of such support, a simple repeal will be a fast alternative, will give a "letter of the law" that is clear enough for people to proceed with their decisions and the details can be thrashed out in the courts.
Simply restoring the pre-2004 law has the added benefit of being long-standing with considerable precedent giving great certainty to the rights and nature of new marriages.

I think that *all* current negotiations should be with the understanding that there is a default alternative establishing the benchmark expectations of the Australian people, and for which no special exemptions were needed then or now.

Rusty.

Far more will suicide by promoting this lifestyle than being refused service from a baker. Regressives have created a very confused generation and now want to blame those who support the natural family which is by far the best way to lower suicide rates.