It’s time for change. But these politicians still haven’t got the memo.
The majority of Australians are on board with marriage equality. And, as Senator Penny Wong has pointed out, it’s increasingly unacceptable for people to flat out discriminate against gay couples.
So what does an anti-equality advocate to do? It seems the answer is to make up increasingly bizarre reasons why marriage equality shouldn’t happen. Like Barnaby Joyce saying we shouldn’t have equality because Asian countries might find us “decadent”, or Eric Abetz’ spurious suggestion that “study after study … shows that children benefit from having a father and mother”.
It’s time to point the finger. It’s time to call out the people who are preventing equality in this country. So here they are.
Spread the message far and wide: This are the people who need to be convinced that love is love. And this is how to contact them and make your feelings known.
Tony Abbott: Marriage equality is “the fashion of the moment”.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott is the most powerful man in the country — and a staunch opponent of same-sex marriage, despite his own sister being engaged to a woman. He has previously described same-sex marriage as “the fashion of the moment”.
Contact him at:
Twitter: @TonyAbbottMHR
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TonyAbbottMP
Email: Via this website
Address: Parliament House, Canberra, ACT 2600 (Addressed to: The Hon. Tony Abbott MP, Prime Minister)
Barnaby Joyce: Marriage equality is “decadent”.
The National Party Member and Minister for Agriculture, 48, recently warned Asian countries could see Australia as “decadent” if it legalises same-sex marriage. (Joyce does, however, support a conscience vote.)
Contact him at:
Twitter: @Barnaby_Joyce
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BarnabyJoyceMP
Email: barnaby.joyce.mp@aph.gov.au
Address: PO Box 963, Tamworth, NSW 2340
Eric Abetz: Marriage equality is an “attack” on rights.
Apart from his pearler about the impact of same-sex parents on kids, the Minister for Employment and leader of the Government in the Senate also recently declared that same-sex marriage represented an ‘attack’ on its opponents’ rights.
Late last week, the 57-year-old even said frontbenchers who support same-sex marriage should quit the frontbench.
Contact him at:
Twitter: @SenatorAbetz
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SenatorAbetz
Email: senator.abetz@aph.gov.au
Address: PO Box 1675, Hobart, TAS 7001
Kevin Andrews: Marriage equality is “a destruction of marriage”.
The 59-year-old Minister for Defence has described proposals for same-sex marriage as calls for “a destruction of marriage, not simply a redefinition.”
Contact him at:
Twitter: @kevinandrewsmp
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kevinandrewsmp
Email: kevin.andrews.mp@aph.gov.au
Address: PO Box 124, Doncaster, VIC 3108
Christopher Pyne: Marriage equality is a “distraction”.
The 47-year-old Minister for Education and Training has described marriage equality as a distraction from ‘real issues’.
“We don’t want to be distracted from the economy and national security. We have real issues to deal with,” he said, according to Sky News.
Contact him at:
Twitter: @cpyne
Facebook: www.facebook.com/christopher.pyne
Email: C.Pyne.MP@aph.gov.au
Address: 429 Magill Road St Morris, SA 5068
Joe Hockey: Has a “traditional view” of marriage.
The 49-year-old Federal Treasurer has said he supports the “traditional view” of marriage.
“There have been conscience votes (on other issues) but I don’t know what will happen here, but we have a partyroom view about marriage being between a man and a woman,” he’s said.
Contact him at:
Twitter: @JoeHockey
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JoeHockeyMP
Email: J.Hockey.MP@aph.gov.au
Address: PO Box 1107, North Sydney, NSW 2059
Scott Morrison: Marriage equality is “ultimately about” children.
Social Services Minister Scott Morrison, 47, has said he values the “traditional” form of marriage.
“For me this is ultimately about a child’s natural right to a mother and father,” he has said.
Twitter: @ScottMorrisonMP
Facebook: www.facebook.com/scottmorrison4cook
Email:
Address: PO Box 1306, Cronulla, NSW 2230
Cory Bernardi: People might have sex with animals.
The Liberal Senator from South Australia has made comments linking gay marriage to the social acceptance of having sex with animals.
“There are even some creepy people out there… [who] say it is OK to have consensual sexual relations between humans and animals. Will that be a future step?,” he asked during a 2012 Senate debate.
Contact him at:
Twitter: @corybernardi
Facebook: n/a
Email: senator.bernardi@aph.gov.au
Address: PO Box 2192, Kent Town, SA 5071
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells: The majority of Australians don’t want marriage equality.
Liberal frontbencher Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, 55, has described the cross-party bill as an “ambush” that “played into the hands of the Government’s political opponents”.
She has also said that she believes the majority of the Australian public believes “marriage is between a man and a woman.”
Contact her at:
Twitter: @Senator_CFW
Facebook: www.facebook.com/connie.fierravantiwells
Email: senator.fierravanti-wells@aph.gov.au
Address: Parliamentary Secretary for Social Services, Parliament House, Canberra, ACT 2600 (Addressed to: Senator the Hon Concetta Fierravanti-Wells)
Warren Truss: Marriage is a tradition that must be reserved.
The 66-year-old Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development is also leader of the The Nationals.
Warren Truss has said previously: “While I respect the personal choice of individuals, I support the view that marriage is an institution that by definition should be reserved for a man and a woman.”
Contact him at:
Twitter: @warrentrussMP
Facebook: www.facebook.com/warrentrussmp
Email: W.Truss.MP@aph.gov.au
Address: PO Box 283, Maryborough, QLD 4650
Do your state’s senators support same-sex marriage?
Senators who oppose same-sex marriage, by state:
NSW
Bill Heffernan, Liberal,
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Liberal,
Deborah O’Neill, Labor, senator.o’
Fiona Nash, National, senator.nash@aph.gov.au
John Williams, National,
ACT
Zed Seselja, Liberal, senator.seselja@aph.gov.a
VIC
Bridget McKenzie, National, senator.mckenzie@aph.gov.au
Jacinta Collins, Labor,
John Madigan, Democratic Labor, senator.madigan@aph.gov.au
Michael Ronaldson, Liberal, senator.ronaldson@aph.gov.au
Mitch Fifield, Liberal, senator.fifield@aph.gov.au =
TAS
Catrina Bilyk, Labor,
David Bushby, Liberal, senator.bushby@aph.gov.au
Eric Abetz, Liberal,
Helen Polley, Labor, senator.polley@aph.gov.au
Jacqui Lambie, Independent,
Richard Colbeck, Liberal,
Stephen Parry, Liberal,
SA
Alex Gallacher, Labor,
Bob Day, Family First,
Cory Bernardi, Liberal, senator.bernardi@aph.gov.au
David Fawcett, Liberal,
Sean Edwards, Liberal,
WA
Christopher Back, Liberal, senator.back@aph.gov.au
David Johnston, Liberal, senator.johnston@aph.gov.au
Joe Bullock, Labor, senator.bullock@aph.gov.au
Mathias Cormann, Liberal, financeminister@finance.gov.au
Michaelia Cash, Liberal, senator.cash@aph.gov.au
QLD
Barry O’Sullivan, National, senator.o’sullivan@aph.gov.au
Ian Macdonald, Liberal,
Joanna Lindgren, Liberal,
Matthew Canavan, National,
Does your MP support marriage equality?
National Director of Marriage Equality Australia, Rodney Croome, told Mamamia he believes Australia’s best bet for marriage quality is a conscience vote, whereby individual MPs can vote according to their own beliefs. Should this happen, we may just have the numbers to get this marriage equality bill through parliament.
Here’s a list by electorate of MPs who oppose same-sex marriage: (ACT and NT are not listed because — hooray — they have no MPs who oppose the move):
NSW
Alex Hawke, Liberal Party, Member for Mitchell, alex.hawke.mp@aph.gov.au
Ann Sudmalis, Liberal Party, Member for Gilmore, ann.sudmalis.mp@aph.gov.au
Barnaby Joyce, National Party, Member for New England, barnaby.joyce.mp@aph.gov.au
Bob Baldwin, Liberal Party, Member for Paterson, bob.baldwin.mp@aph.gov.au
Bronwyn Bishop, Liberal Party, Member for Mackellar, bronwyn.bishop.mp@aph.gov.au
Chris Hayes, Labor Party, Member for Fowler, chris.hayes.mp@aph.gov.au
Craig Kelly, Liberal Party, Member for Hughes, craig.kelly.mp@aph.gov.au
Craig Laundy, Liberal Party, Member for Reid, craig.laundy.mp@aph.gov.au
David Coleman, Liberal Party, Member for Banks, david.coleman.mp@aph.gov.au
David Gillespie, National Party, Member for Lyne, david.gillespie.mp@aph.gov.au
Joe Hockey, Liberal Party, Member for North Sydney, j.hockey.mp@aph.gov.au
John Cobb, National Party, Member for Calare, john.cobb.mp@aph.gov.au
Karen McNamara, Liberal Party, Member for Dobell, karen.mcnamara.mp@aph.gov.au
Louise Markus, Liberal Party, Member for Macquarie, louise.markus.mp@aph.gov.au
Lucy Wicks, Liberal Party, Member for Robertson, lucy.wicks.mp@aph.gov.au
Luke Hartsuyker, National Party, Member for Cowper, luke.hartsuyker.mp@aph.gov.au
Michael McCormack, National Party, Member for Riverina, michael.mccormack.mp@aph.gov.au
Nickolas Varvaris, Liberal Party, Member for Barton, nickolas.varvaris@nsw.liberal.org.au
Paul Fletcher, Liberal Party, Member for Bradfield, paul.fletcher.mp@aph.gov.au
Peter Hendy, Liberal Party, Member for Eden-Monaro, peter.hendy.mp@aph.gov.au
Philip Ruddock, Liberal Party, Member for Berowra, philip.ruddock.mp@aph.gov.au
Russell Matheson, Liberal Party, Member for Macarthur, russell.matheson.mp@aph.gov.au
Scott Morrison, Liberal Party, Member for Cook, scott.morrison.mp@aph.gov.au
Tony Abbott, Liberal Party, Member for Warringah, via this website.
QLD
Bert Van Manen, Liberal Party, Member for Forde, bert.vanmanen.mp@aph.gov.au
Bob Katter, Katter’s Australian Party, Member for Kennedy, bob.katter.mp@aph.gov.au
Bruce Scott, Liberal Party, Member for Maranoa, bruce.scott.mp@aph.gov.au
George Christensen, Liberal Party, Member for Dawson, george.christensen.mp@aph.gov.au
Keith Pitt, Liberal Party, Member for Hinkler, keith.pitt.mp@aph.gov.au
Luke Howarth, Liberal Party, Member for Petrie, luke.howarth.mp@aph.gov.au
Ross Vasta, Liberal Party, Member for Bonner, ross.vasta.mp@aph.gov.au
Scott Buchholz, Liberal Party, Member for Wright, scott.buchholz.mp@aph.gov.au
Shayne Neumann, Labor Party, Member for Blair, shayne.neumann.mp@aph.gov.au
Liberal Party, Member for Fadden, stuart.robert.mp@aph.gov.au
Warren Truss, National Party, Member for Wide Bay, w.truss.mp@aph.gov.au
South Australia
Andrew Southcott, Liberal Party, Member for Boothby, andrew.southcott.mp@aph.gov.au
Christopher Pyne, Liberal Party, Member for Sturt, c.pyne.mp@aph.gov.au
Rowan Ramsey, Liberal Party, Member for Grey, rowan.ramsey.mp@aph.gov.au
Tony Pasin, Liberal Party, Member for Barker, tony.pasin@saliberal.org.au
Tony Zappia Labor Party, Member for Makin, tony.zappia.mp@aph.gov.au
Tasmania
Andrew Nikolic, Liberal Party, Member for Bass, andrew.nikolic.mp@aph.gov.au
Brett Whiteley, Liberal Party, Member for Braddon, brett.whiteley.mp@aph.gov.au
Victoria
Alan Tudge, Liberal Party, Member for Aston, alan.tudge.mp@aph.gov.au
Andrew Broad, National Party, Member for Mallee, andrew.broad.mp@aph.gov.au
Bruce Billson, Liberal Party, Member for Dunkley, b.billson.mp@aph.gov.au
Dan Tehan, Liberal Party, Member for Wannon, dan.tehan.mp@aph.gov.au
Kevin Andrews, Liberal Party, Member for Menzies, kevin.andrews.mp@aph.gov.au
Maria Vamvakinou, Labor Party, Member for Calwell, maria.vamvakinou.mp@aph.gov.au
Michael Sukkar, Liberal Party, Member for Deakin, michael.sukkar.mp@aph.gov.au
Russell Broadbent, Liberal Party, Member for McMillan, russell.broadbent.mp@aph.gov.au
Sharman Stone, Liberal Party, Member for Murray, s.stone.mp@aph.gov.au
Tony Smith, Liberal Party, Member for Casey, tony.smith.mp@aph.gov.au
Croome insists that “Marriage Equality will be won vote by vote, and MP by MP, so it’s very important you meet with your MP and express to them directly your support for marriage equality”.
You can find out where your MP stands and how to contact them at the Australian Marriage Equality website here. “If they are already a supporter, make sure you encourage your friends and family members in seats where them MP is undecided or opposed to organise a meeting with them.”
Alternatively, you can leave an automatic message on the voicemail of your federal MP or Senator via a service called “Equality Calling”. The number is 1300 663 679 and more information is available here.
Read Mamamia Women’s Network’s statement on marriage equality here.
Some supporters of same-sex marriage:
Some beautiful Pinterest images from same-sex weddings overseas:
Related:
Arguments against same-sex marriage – and why they’re bullocks.
Here’s why the rainbow profile picture filters are powerful.
Top Comments
The argument everyone wants it seems like a put on, without a plebiscite i wont trust anyone on this.
So much homophobia below, so sad.