Sign In
0 Items (
Search
Comments (0)
Being a Fairfax paper, there is most often very little in the Launceston Examiner to inform or entertain — unless the reader takes a perverse delight in anticipating a venerable masthead’s soon-to-be final edition. Sometimes, though, there is something to be gleaned, and today’s edition makes that point on two fronts.
First, there is the entirely unscientific poll, which is currently running 60/40 against the idea of expanding the legal definition of matrimony to include the same-sex variety. Numbers of that sort suggest there might be something more to gay advocates’ opposition to a national plebiscite on the issue than a desire not to burden the Australian Electoral Commission with extra work.
Second, there is the comment by reader Peter Power-Laurence, which appears directly below the poll results. Mr Power-Laurance is a keen supporter of same-sex unions — and, quite obviously, a man who knows where to turn for help. At the tail end of his post he writes (emphasis added):
“…I know there will be opposers writing in with their arguments against marriage equality…please be very careful about what you say as the Anti-Discrimination laws in Tasmania are very strict and we will be watching and ready to report any homophobic comments.”
You’ve been warned. In the national debate about same-sex marriage, feel free to express any opinion you like. But if someone finds your views irksome, keep a lawyer handy.
UPDATE: The poll and its majority opposition to gay marriage has been made to disappear. The URL remains to denote where it once was to be found on the internet, but nothing else remains. In this instance at least Mr Power-Laurance won’t need to be dashing off any prosecute-them-now letters to the authorities.
