BF2S Forums Australian politics thread.

Dilbert_X wrote:

Drunkface wrote:

You have the words mixed up. Marriage has nothing to do with religion. It is a government institution and the government has the sole responsibility and power to manage, make and alter the rules involved.

Historically no it isn't, any more than Christmas is a govt institution.
That unions approved by the govt are called 'marriages' is a quirk.

you have made it pretty clear you prefer the status quo of discrimination against homosexuals.

If it is wholly symbolic or whatever then why not just pass it and be done with it?

Dilbert_X wrote:

Ty wrote:

Dilbert_X wrote:

Shouldn't they have changed their stance before the election - so people knew what they were voting for?

Please enlighten me as to one time any Government anywhere has kept every policy unchanged throughout a term.

Australian govts, esp the ALP, are especially shit from that point of view.

I'm waiting to hear a convicing reason the govt should spend time on this.

TimmmmaaaaH wrote:

I would be fully behind this but people are too dumb/apathetic/"busy" for that.

Dilbert_X wrote:

The Greens 'unified voice' is a ragbag of gay fruitcakes and marxists, they are anything but 'green' and I support the green movement.

I am convinced you are trolling and am just removing myself from this thread. Claiming the Greens are about being green is on the same level as the marriage pedantry.

The Australian Greens 2010 Federal Election election policy initiatives.

100 percent renewable energy
Australia can be a renewable energy powerhouse, harnessing our tremendous resources of sun, wind, wave, earth and human ingenuity to replace our reliance on coal with 100% renewable energy within decades.

Asylum Seekers
The Greens are committed to a long-term, practical and humane approach to asylum seekers and refugees, and to upholding Australia's commitments to international law and human rights.

Access to flexible work arrangements
The Greens believe that all workers should be supported to better balance their work, family and community lives, and propose to extend the existing right to request flexible working arrangements to all Australians.

Aged Care
There is a serious crisis in aged care services in Australia. We have a growing demand for services that isn't being met. The existing system is dysfunctional, and ill-prepared to meet the needs of the future.

ATM Fees
The Greens believe that access to basic banking services, including the use of ATMs, is essential to function in today's society and will introduce legislation to prevent banks from profiteering through ATM fees.

Australia as a good neighbour
The Australian Greens believe that Australia has an important role to play as one of the wealthiest and most stable nations in the Pacific region. The developing nations of the Pacific region are Australia's nearest neighbours and Australia has a great responsibility to provide greater funding and support to create better health, educational and humanitarian opportunities and outcomes in these countries.

Banking Serves Community
A basic bank account is essential to function properly in present day Australian society. This means that the nature of banking services has a very broad impact. Consequently, the welfare of consumers should be protected by law.

Childcare
Early Childhood Education and Care is something that we as parents trust to give our kids the best quality of care and should not be treated as a profit-driven industry open to manipulation by corporations and the stock market; rather it should be seen and supported as the essential service it is.

Climate and health
The impacts of climate change pose significant risks to human health globally. The Greens will establish a Climate Change and Human Health Taskforce to undertake research into the health risks posed to Australia by climate change to 2050 and develop a strategic plan to prevent and manage those risks.

Coal seam gas
Coal seam gas (CSG) extraction should not proceed at the expense of food production, water security, our endangered species or the climate. The Greens call for a moratorium on all coal seam gas extraction in Queensland and promise to introduce environmental laws to protect productive farmland and precious water supplies from harm.

Commissioner for Children
As a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Australia has a duty to uphold human rights, yet far too many children and young people are falling through the cracks of our society. These include children bullied in schools, the babies, infants and kids who are victims of neglect, the children and teenagers who are homeless on Australian streets every night, and young people who are in juvenile or immigration detention.

Commonwealth Super Pensions
The superannuation system is designed to take pressure off our social security system and provide employees with an adequate income for a reasonable standard of living once retired. For Commonwealth employees and defence force personnel in superannuation pension schemes, appropriate indexation of their pensions is an important factor is meeting these goals.

Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships
The Australian Greens are proposing the introduction of a national Commonwealth Teaching Scholarship Program to attract the best and brightest Australians into teaching, to raise the profile of the teaching profession and to assist in addressing teacher shortages.

Convert to Rent
The Greens Convert to Rent Initiative will increase the amount of affordable rental housing, increase the availability of private rental accommodation and revitalise local neighbourhoods and economies.

Coral Sea Marine Reserve
Australia's Coral Sea is one of the world's last flourishing tropical marine regions. At around 1 million square kilometres, the Coral Sea offers a diverse range of spectacular coral reefs and an abundance of marine wildlife, including many endangered species. Yet only around 1% of this vital area is adequately protected.

Dementia Care
The Greens support the vision for a world class dementia care system and will prioritise early intervention and diagnosis, support for carers and those living with dementia, and fund additional research into the causes of dementia.

Denticare
It is firmly established that poor dental health leads to poor general health, yet many Australians are not able to access basic dental care. The Greens propose that non-cosmetic dental services are incorporated into Medicare under a universal dental health scheme, Denticare.

LGBTI peak body
The Australian Greens call for the establishment of a federally funded, national peak-body to advocate for the rights and interests of LGBTI Australians.

Paid Parental Leave
Support for parents in their efforts to care for their newborn children is an essential component of any Government policy that aims to promote the health and well-being of infants, and invest in the long-term health and educational outcomes of children.

Performing arts vibrant future
The Greens believe that a vibrant future for Australia's performing arts will involve both the traditional arts, which enrich us and have provided so much to our culture for centuries, and a newer, more open approach to cultural policy, which brings arts into every aspect of our lives.

Last edited by Dilbert_X (2011-12-08 01:07:56)

Fundamental questions should be voted on, fundamental questions on which the party which forms government has completely reversed its policy should be voted on, through an election or otherwise.