Page 3503 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 22 October 2014
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In conclusion, to paraphrase Macklemore, as Minister Barr quoted so beautifully a year ago, a certificate on paper is not going to change it all, but it’s a damn good place to start. I commend the motion and thank Ms Berry for bringing it forward.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Housing and Minister for Tourism and Events) (5.34): I thank Ms Berry for bringing this motion forward this afternoon and for her eloquent and passionate commitment to this cause. It is terrific to see so many progressive voices in this place and in our community continuing to advocate for marriage equality. I take the opportunity to thank Minister Gentleman and Minister Rattenbury for their contributions to the debate and for their ongoing advocacy within their segments of the community, in Mr Rattenbury’s case within the Greens party. It is encouraging for the LGBTI community more broadly to know that we have so many allies across the political spectrum and that people are prepared to advocate for this most important cause.
To a certain extent, there is a degree of sadness that we even have to continue to have these debates in this place, but it is important to continue to keep this issue on the agenda. I have a series of simple messages today, the first of which is that this issue will not go away until there is marriage equality in this country. It will continue to be raised every day, every week, every month and every year until we get an outcome. That is my commitment, and I know that is the commitment of everyone who supports our cause. It will continue to be advocated passionately.
The second point I would like to make is that I think we have all just about had a gutful of the dissembling that comes from the modern-day conservative about the role of government. It is a fascinating thing. It is apparently all right for government to dictate who you can be in a relationship with, who you can marry. Apparently we are now going to decide what clothes you can wear. We have the perverse circumstance where the government does not think it has any role in supporting health and education, to support the states and territories, but is very keen to decide what clothes you can wear and who you can marry.
It is the conundrum of modern conservatism, isn’t it? It is all about government having involvement in your private life—what clothes you wear, who you want to marry—but completely walking away from a whole range of important social responsibilities. That is the modern-day conservative. Certainly at the fringe end of the Liberal Party you see that—Cory Bernadi and others, people who sidle up to the Australian Christian Lobby and see that as some sort of moral protection for abhorrent positions that are taken by that organisation in relation to gay, lesbian, transgender and intersex Australians.
Let us also call it quits on people who say, “I know a gay couple who don’t want to get married; therefore, marriage equality is not important or shouldn’t be progressed.” I know straight couples who do not want to get married, but I do not go out there saying that therefore no-one else should be able to get married or that heterosexual marriage is not really important because I know someone who I spoke to once who said they did not really want to get married so it does not really matter. It is only when
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