Alan,

Why is that those on the left feel the need to blow smoke up each other's backsides?

Foxy,

Given the 6 years, Labor and the greens had to implement SSM but failed, then tried to block the plebiscite, the rank hypocrisy of the left whingers stinks to high heaven.

SM,

The history of same sex marriage in Australia includes
its expressed prohibition by the Howard government in 2004.
And, it was the Howard government that introduced the
Marriage Amendment Act in Parliament, 27th May 2004.

As for broken promises? Why only mention those of Labor?
There's Howard's "core" and "non-core" and never ever GST.
There's Tony Abbott's no new taxes, no cuts to education,
no cuts to health, no cuts to the ABC or SBS, just to mention
a few. The Abbott government then went on to make changes in
all these areas. We have Malcolm Turnbull's promises
of a first rate - less expensive - NBN - promise (what a joke
that turned out to be) -
and the same-sex marriage plebiscite 2016. And what a fiasco
that turned out to be - and guess who abstained from the vote?
Barnaby Joyce (Nationals)
Tony Abbott (Libs)
Andrew Hastie (Libs)
Michael Sukkar (Libs)
Kevin Andrews (Libs)
Scott Morrison (Libs)
George Christensen (LNP)
Rick Wilson (Libs)
Stuart (Libs)
Bert van Maren (Libs)

What about no votes?

Bob Katter (Independent)
Russell Broadbent (Libs)
Keith Pitt (Nationals)
David Littleproud (Nationals)

Interesting isn't it.

In any case - we can always find something to finger-point at
in politics. But you prefer not to see that, and only see things
from your one-eyed, rusted on political agenda.

C'mon Foxy. Be fair. Howard didn't ban gay marriage. He just ensured that the marriage act dealt only with male-female couplings. And it was a bipartisan measure, it passed with Labor support. It was never illegal to get married to someone of the same sex, it is just that the government wouldn't register the relationship. They don't register relationships for heterosexuals either, unless they explicity want it registered, and registered or not, there is no difference between how all the important things are treated - children, property, estates between registered and non-registered relationships.

I don't think you are in a good position to criticise others for allegedly being politically rusted-on. You exhibit the same traits yourself.

Hi Graham,

Discussions on this forum are not
about being fair. I don't think the fairness issue plays
into them. Because it would not be fair to ask some, what
we're not willing to ask of others who post here.

Anyway, I tend to base my posts on facts as much as I am able,
usually with links that I provide to back them up. And the link
given below backs up the fact that the former Prime Minister
John Howard did target gays. The article from the Sydney
Morning Herald makes it quite clear that - "Gay couples will
be banned from marrying or adopting children from overseas..."

We're told that less than an hour after PM John Howard announced
changes to the Marriage Act, the government rushed legislation
enabling the changes into Parliament.

Mr Howard said the Marriage Act would be changed to include
the definition of marriage as the voluntarily entered into
union of a man and a women to exclusion of all others. The laws
prior to that did not define marriage.

Mr Howard stated - "We've decided to insert this into the
Marriage Act to make it very plain that is our view of a
marriage and to also make it very plain that the definition
of a marriage is something that should rest in the hands
ultimately of the the Parliament of the nation." This Mr
Howard stated to reporters. "It should not over time be
subject to redefinition or change by courts, it is something
that ought to be expressed through the elected representatives
of the country."

They also outlawed the recognition of same-sex marriages
lawfully entered into in foreign jurisdictions and they prevented
same sex couples from adopting children from overseas countries.

They deliberately amended the Marriage Act to define marriage.

The following link explains:

http://www.smh.com.au/national/pm-targets-gays-in-marriage-law-20040528-gdj0cp.html

Alan B.,

Thank You for your kind words.

The art of reasoned, intelligent argument is a skill not
easily acquired - you've got it in spades. Therefore receiving a
compliment from you on my postings is very heart-warming and much
appreciated.