明天上议院针对同性婚姻进行投票表决（通过的可能性极小）

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Gay marriage bill debate is a victory, says Senator Penny Wong

Anna Caldwell From: News Limited Network September 18, 2012 10:49AM

                               
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SENATOR PENNY WONG SAYS THE LIKELY FAILURE OF THE GAY MARRIAGE BILL VOTE IN THE SENATE ISN'T A SET BACK, AS THE ISSUE BEING DEBATED IN PARLIAMENT IS A VICTORY IN ITSELF. PICTURE: TIM HUNTER HERALD SUN

AS gay rights activists steel themselves for the likelihood of losing an historic Senate vote on same sex marriage this week, Senator Penny Wong says the very fact the issue was being fought on the floor of parliament was a victory.


The Coalition has not allowed MPs a conscience vote on the gay marriage bill, which is expected to fail in a vote in the Senate within the next 24 hours.

"It will mean that it is very difficult for this bill to pass," Senator Wong told ABC radio.

"Sometimes you lose something then you win on a subsequent occasion - I've been in politics long enough to know that."

Senator Wong said she believed significant progress had been made on the issue of same sex marriage, and that community sentiment supported it.

"It’s about equality and about recognising the worth of our relationships," she said.

"Sentiment on this has shifted."

She blamed Opposition Leader Tony Abbott for the fact the vote will most likely be lost, despite PM Julia Gillard herself not supporting gay marriage.

Senator Wong insisted Ms Gillard had demonstrated leadership on the issue in the party.

Meanwhile veteran Nationals senator Ron Boswell is standing by his comments that same-sex marriage undermines the family and society despite criticism of his "dinosaur views".

"Gay marriage does undermine, I believe, the society that we live in," he said.

During parliamentary debate on the same-sex marriage bill yesterday, the Queensland senator said families with two mothers or two fathers could not properly raise children.

"Who takes the boy to football? ... How does he go camping and fishing?" he told the upper house.

Labor's Doug Cameron said the senator's view was reminiscent of the 1950s and 60s.

"Some of these people need to be brought into the 21st century," he said.

"These dinosaur views about gays have no place in modern political discourse."

Two people who loved one another should be allowed to make a commitment to one another in marriage, Senator Cameron said.

"Marriage is not about religion, marriage is about love," he said, adding he celebrated his 41st wedding anniversary on Monday.

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尽管明天注定不会通过，但是今天我们已经取得了历史性的胜利，同志们再接再厉，直到成功，我们绝不言放弃！