Dear Rehctub,

Well Phanto said most that I have to say already.

<< if you are married as you say without ligi papers, then split, you are free to move on the moment you agree, whereas if you are married with ligit papers you have to file for divorce.>>

Firstly, if you want to split then you were not truly married to begin with.
Secondly, nothing stops you from walking away from your partner, with or without papers. Nothing even stops you from obtaining a religious divorce (for those religions/denominations that allow it) then marry again by either the same or another church.

While I don't like the gay movement, I have nothing against homosexuals and homosexual couples and I could not care less what genitals your partner has. If in your heart of hearts you are married to a widow, a widower, a window, a cat, a dog or any number and combination of the above, then this is none of my business. I will always respect what is in your heart of hearts.

The whole issue here is about getting the government's grubby hands out of our personal relationships.

Phanto, the imagination is a wonderful thing, so enjoy your fairy tail.

Yuyutsu, I say the same to you, enjoy your fairy tail life.

The Marriage Act of 1961 was based on the assumption that it was marriage of a man with a woman, but the Howard Government, in order not to have to recognise same sex marriages allowed overseas, nailed down the exclusion in an amended act in 2004. Legal recognition of same sex marriages, including those entered into overseas (e.g. in USA) would require repeal of the 2004 legislation.

The Bill for the 2004 Act was opposed by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (https://www.humanrights.gov.au/marriage-legislation-amendment-bill-2004).

Marriage equality in Australia is a bit like gun control in the USA - the community wants it but the pollies, responding to antidemocratic minority pressure, are blocking it. They are making it clear that even a majority yes vote in a plebiscite will leave them free to go on blocking it.

The Election swing to the far right indicates a million voters do not want change to the marriage act even by plebiscite.

Why are labor and the greens so scared of a plebiscite, they have never cared about cost before? A poll on the subject showed that 69% favoured the plebiscite.

The only conclusion is that Labor and the greens are scared of the result.

Why should we have a say on just gay marriage?

Surely there are other social matters that are at least if not more important that also warrant our opinion?

Homosexuality itself was a criminal offence until relatively recently.

Why not re-ban that too if it apparently has such a huge impact on the life of some people?