Senate rejects gay marriage bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) February 26, 2010 --

Gino Meriano, Gay rights Campaigner for same sex families comments “Issues like this only proves the lack of care and attention given to such matters. It’s like a broken record if society elects people to act on our behalf then they should also be held accountable if they do not show. A bill or decision cannot simply be made because Senators decide not to show – the positive action is to enforce this not only by re introducing the bill but by appealing to the LGB and T community to show support by presenting a petition to the office. Show we care and stand up for our rights, talk is good but action is better if it really has an ultimate end goal”.

Before the gay pride Mardi Gras in Sydney this weekend, the bill was rejected by 45 votes to five, with only the Greens voting to liberalise the marriage laws.

But some of the senators who were absent from the chamber are uncomfortable with their party's official policies opposing a move to let gay couples marry.

Among the notable absentees were WA Labor senator Louise Pratt, and South Australian Liberal Simon Birmingham, who was at a meeting in the opposition leader's office.

All the senior ministers including Climate Change Minister Penny Wong were at a cabinet meeting.

Because it was what the major parties term a ''Mickey'' - as in Mouse - where they vote together, senators who had a conscientious objection were not required to seek leave to miss the vote.

Senator Hanson-Young seized on the absentee rate to declare the major parties split.

''There may have been a group of senators voting to keep discrimination against same-sex couples being able to marry the one they love, but well over one-third of all senators were absent for the final vote, presumably the only form of protest open to them,'' she said.

The Greens have pledged to reintroduce the bill after the election