Dear Chris,

One more thing...

The violence that was being discussed here has
to do with the man who head-butted Mr Abbott.

Is that something that you would condone seeing
as you seem to be so pro-violence?

Hi, Foxy

Chris once claimed on this forum that in his copper days, he took great pride in catching "poofters" and as "punishment" threw then into the Parramatta River. I have a long memory.

Chris collect a million of these surveys if you wish, and plaster the lavatory walls with them, I don't think the "poofters" would give a toss what you do.

Dear phanto,

I believe I had provided a reason for this in my last post to you.

<<Why are there differences in rights between those under the government definition of a married couple and those under the government definition of a de facto couple?>>

De facto couples, not necessarily having made a pledge of any sort, cannot be assumed to have identical rights and responsibilities to married couples, who have made a pledge. De facto couples can remedy this by getting married, but only if they are a male and a female, which again is where the discrimination comes in.

Dear Paul,

Thanks for reminding me about the fact that
Chris was/is a police officer. With his pro-
violence stance, that is more than a bit of a concern.

Philips:

The type of relationships we are comparing are based on love and not on pledges.

Dear phanto,

Well, it is not always going to be the case that the relationships to which we refer are based on love.

<<The type of relationships we are comparing are based on love and not on pledges.>>

But even assuming that they are all based on love, this still does not negate the important distinction I have made between the two forms of relationship: a distinction in which pledges (i.e. marriage) can resolve the uncertainties inherent to de facto living arrangements. Uncertainties that make affording de facto couples the same rights, and expecting of them the same responsibilities, unreasonable.

I refer you back to the possible differing circumstances of which I spoke at: http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=7798#241165