Wednesday, 30 November 2011
On World AIDS Day, will Qld grant civil partnerships?
Heavy on symbolism: will Queensland grant civil partnerships?
Tonight the Queensland parliament
will vote on the Treasurer, Andrew Fraser’s Private Members Bill for civil
partnerships. This will allow civil
unions to be celebrated and recognised in Queensland as well as civil unions to
be recognised from interstate and overseas.
Civil partnerships will be available for both gay and straight couples.
The numbers are finally
balanced. Labor MP’s have been told that
they have a conscience vote. Three Labor
MP’s have gone on the record to say that they are opposed to civil
partnerships: Margaret Keech, Michael Choi and Jo-Ann Miller.
It is not known at this stage how
the other Labor members will vote, but there are probably only one or two votes
in it.
LNP members have been told by
their party to vote against the Bill. If
the debate on the Surrogacy Bill last year is any guide, then all the
independent MP’s will vote against the Bill.
When the Bill was considered by
the parliamentary committee, the Labour MP’s voted in favour of it, the LNP
members against it, and the sole independent on the committee also voted
against it, citing the Bible.
Tomorrow’s World AIDS Day – 1 December
The debate on the Bill commences
at 7.30pm tonight. It is most unlikely
that the Bill will be passed before midnight and it is most likely that the
crucial votes on the Bill will take place sometime between 3am and 5am tomorrow
on World Aids Day. What an achievement
it will be for equality if on the 30th anniversary of the discovery
of AIDS there is a recognition of equality in civil partnerships in
Queensland. What a bitter irony it will
be if Queensland refuses to recognise civil partnerships on such a symbolic
day.
Rally Tonight
There will be a rally at Queensland’s
Parliament House in George Street at 5pm today.
I am told the speakers will be the Premier Anna Bligh, the Treasurer
Andrew Fraser and a “special guest”.
Monday, 28 November 2011
I don't like to give oxygen to people like this, but a man was tied to the Story Bridge, protesting re the Family Ct: http://ow.ly/7GtYF
Sunday, 27 November 2011
Grim pickings for gays 2: Russia: The Guardian http://ow.ly/7FYQz The scariest part is to see the rise of neoNazis in Russia.
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Monday, 14 November 2011
Saturday, 12 November 2011
Judge orders swapping of Facebook and dating website passwords: ABA Journal http://ow.ly/7r1Jh As ever, FB is a goldmine for family lawyers.
Thursday, 10 November 2011
I'm going to Kevin Rudd's cocktail party on White Ribbon Day to help aid Australia's CEO Challenge. Will you join me? http://ow.ly/7oXRo
Monday, 7 November 2011
Sunday, 6 November 2011
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