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Australians have voted 61.6% to approve of same-sex marriage, and the Turnbull-led government has said it would aim to pass legislation by Christmas:
Australians decisively support same-sex marriage
Australians have overwhelmingly voted in favour of legalising same-sex marriage in a historic poll. The non-binding postal vote showed 61.6% of people favour allowing same-sex couples to wed, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said. Jubilant supporters have been celebrating in public spaces, waving rainbow flags and singing and dancing.
A bill to change the law was introduced into the Senate late on Wednesday. It will now be debated for amendments. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said his government would aim to pass legislation in parliament by Christmas. "[Australians] have spoken in their millions and they have voted overwhelmingly yes for marriage equality," Mr Turnbull said after the result was announced. "They voted yes for fairness, yes for commitment, yes for love."
The issue only went to a voluntary postal vote after a long and bitter debate about amending Australia's Marriage Act. The result on Wednesday brings an end to what was at times a heated campaign. The vote itself had been criticised by same-sex marriage supporters, many of whom said it was unnecessary when parliament could debate the issue directly.
Related: (U.S.) Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Same-Sex Marriage
One in Three People Globally Think Gay Marriage Should Be Legal
Taiwanese Court Invalidates Ban on Same-Sex Marriage
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 18 2017, @01:37AM (15 children)
Why should the government be involved in marriage, anyway?
The right solution isn't for the government to expand its role in people's personal lives, but rather to remove the government from the business of marriage all together.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 18 2017, @01:50AM (3 children)
Why do we bother having a Constitution then? What purpose does that server?
Sweet mary mother of god what will it take to get some common sense into these creatures?
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 18 2017, @03:13AM
The whole point of a Constitution is to explicitly list which authorities The People have delegated to the government, and which authorities The People may never delegate to the government.
For instance, the American Constitution states that the American People have delegated to the United States Government the authority to control immigration; however, the Constitution also states that the United States Government may never even accept from the American People the authority over keeping and bearing arms. The authorities that are not explicitly mentioned are known as "Unenumerated rights", and they are left to the States to discuss between the Governments of those States and the People of those States, as restricted similarly by the Constitutions of those States.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 18 2017, @03:51AM
"will it take to get some common sense into these creatures"
Unpossible. You can't hammer empathy into a rock, you can't beat compassion into a stick, and you can't screw common sense into these "creatures" as you call them.
(Score: 2, Funny) by aristarchus on Saturday November 18 2017, @09:30PM
Australia? What need is there for a piece of paper, when you got drop-bears? (And Billabongs and bandicoots, for real.)
Your purpose has been severed? Or was it a severe purpose? Several potential severances of this sentence are served.
Mary, eh? Catholic, then. Marianist, probably. So we want to keep the gays out of marriage, so we can convince them to be celibate priests? Abstinence makes the Church grow Fondlers! Who needs separation of Church and Australia, when you got Funnel Webs, and Taipans.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 18 2017, @02:00AM (5 children)
Marriage is about property, not love. It's also entirely optional.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 18 2017, @02:52AM (4 children)
As someone who is taxed like he is single but supports his fiance and two children, no its not quite optional.
I've run the numbers, if I had been taxed like we were married for the past two years I would be 14,723 dollars richer right now.
That includes the taxes and health insurance. That's not optional its punitive against those who are raising a family but not married.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 18 2017, @03:52AM
So - you're a fuckup who can only do the numbers AFTER you've been raped.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 18 2017, @09:12AM (2 children)
And how much of that 14,723 would you have spent on a wedding? How much of it is due to immediately adding two child dependents?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 18 2017, @02:14PM
A tiny fraction of it, if you're not retarded. You can just get a cheap marriage in front of a judge, you know.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 19 2017, @12:53AM
Colorado, Marriages cost 30 dollars, you self certify, sign the papers and turn them in with in 30 days. Or we could just start referring to ourselves as married. Common law is a thing here.
So almost none champ, and yes a good bit is for the kids. Doesn't change the fact that I am paying for their food, clothing, school supplies, haircuts, field trips, birthdays, christmas, and sports fees. If I wasn't paying they would be on public assistance. They are not mine biologically. So I take on the extra responsibility, relieve the taxpayers of a burden, and then I get fucked when its time to pay taxes. To top it all off, my taxes will be going up under the proposed house tax "relief" act.
So I get a choice. Pay out the ass in taxes, or get married and in today's world wonder if it will last, or will wipe me out as I'm preparing for my golden years. Thats not option, its fucking extortion.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by c0lo on Saturday November 18 2017, @03:04AM (4 children)
So, you don't mind if the govt stops giving concession based on family grounds, right?
Everyone for himself, kids be dam'ed - actually, you know what? Let's start taxing kids as well (grin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 18 2017, @03:21AM
Taxation is going too far. A better alternative would be for them to participate in unpaid compulsory labor.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Saturday November 18 2017, @04:22AM (2 children)
You do realize that kids are taxed almost everywhere? They just don't have taxable income or assets for the most part.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 18 2017, @05:31AM
No, I don't.
Shame! Freeloaders. Scum of the Earth. Stealing TMB's money, how dare them?
Put them to work and tax the hell out of them
(Score: 3, Informative) by isostatic on Saturday November 18 2017, @10:28AM
They just don't have taxable income or assets for the most part.
But those that do (child actors can earn millions) presumably get taxed. And they don't get a vote.
My 3 year old bought some lego with his pocket money (which he gets from doing chores) a couple of weeks ago. Obviously he had to pay the sales tax on that.