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GAY COUPLES WILL be able to legally marry in Australia after a same-sex marriage bill sailed through parliament today, ending decades of political wrangling.
There were loud cheers, hugs and sustained clapping in the 150-seat lower House of Representatives when all but four MPs voted in support of marriage equality, after the upper house Senate passed the bill 43-12 last week.
“What a day for love, for equality, for respect! Australia has done it,” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told the House.
Every Australian had their say and they said it is fair, get on with it!
The historic reforms will commence on Saturday, when same-sex couples can a lodge a notice to marry. They will then have to wait a month before tying the knot.
Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten hailed the passing of the bill as a uniting moment for Australia, adding: “Now is the time for healing”.
“A time to build, a time to love, and is now at last a time for marriage equality,” he said.
Same-sex marriage campaigners converged outside parliament in the nation’s capital Canberra to celebrate the historic occasion, which sees Australia join more than 20 other countries in recognising such unions.
The bill was tabled in parliament by the conservative government after Australians last month endorsed the reforms in a controversial voluntary postal vote.
Nearly 80% of eligible voters took part in the poll, and almost 62% of the 12.7 million people who participated chose Yes on their postal ballots.
The ballot had been called by Turnbull, a moderate who backed gay marriage, in the face of opposition from hardliners who refused to back a national plebiscite on the issue.
It was opposed by proponents of same-sex marriage, who wanted direct legislative action and argued a poll would expose gay people and their families to hate speech.
Just under five million people voted No, with conservative politicians using their rejection of gay marriage as a catalyst to push for religious exemptions to be included in the bill.
But after lengthy debate, both houses of parliament knocked back amendments to the bill, including from former prime minister and staunch No campaigner Tony Abbott, on religious freedom.
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How about a poll Should Simon Harris Authorise The Immediate Use Of Medical Cannabis For Young Girl..
@Tony Skillington: his mammy said no and that’s final !
another words its not his fault
slimey little head on him
he’s probably from the misinformed side that thinks the peace pipe will lead to the crack pipe. or he doesn’t want to step on the big boys from the pharmaceutical industries toes.
There’s horrible news coming out of Sweden… they eat banana on pizza… Trump was right… that place is a cesspit…. ;-)
Paddy… I didn’t want to mention that horror… there’s pizza fans reading this and I thought that might drive them over the edge.
They have coriander on their pizzas in Gotham on Anne street. The most vile, vomit-inducing herb ever known to man… I strongly believe restaraunts should be forced to indicate any meal that contains that filth, as they do with gluten or soy.
Nutella on pizza in Hungary.
Harsh
Black pudding on pizza… Yey or Ney?
Every pizzeria in South Africa will have banana somewhere on the menu too.
Delicious
@Paddy Reid: True story
I was travelling to Sweden once, so I learned some Swedish to speak while I was there. Anyway, I walk into a pizzeria, look at the menu (all in Swedish) and see they have a chicken curry pizza.
That doesn’t sound so bad to me, but I didn’t know what two of the ingredients were. One was “banan.” Now, of course you would think that would be banana, but Swedish has a lot of words that they call “false friends” – in other words, words that look like they are the same in English, but aren’t.
I thought there was no way they would have banana on a chicken curry pizza – sure how manky would that be, so (in fairly good Swedish) I order the pizza.
And not only does it have huge chunks of banana on it, it turns out that other ingredient was pineapple!!
Of course, having ordered in Swedish, I didn’t want to look like I had no idea what I was ordering, so I ate the whole thing. And it was disgusting!
Yes, as long as it’s peeled first. Otherwise, no.
As an Italian friend of mine said “pineapple on pizza why???”
Momma Mia!
@Kerry Blake: Your friend is more than right. It should be against the law putting pineapple on pizza
And yet they’ll see no problem with tomatoes on pizza…despite tomatoes a) being fruit and b) not having been part of Italian cuisine until they were brought over from the Americas…
Hawaiian pizza. Mmmm
Most popular Pizza in Australia. Lovely
It’s a bit like cunnilingus. If I’m drunk, I’ll eat it.
mmmm pizza
Yes…because pineapple is a fruit, that makes pizza a health food.
Well actually pizza done properly can be quite healthy, tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic, mushrooms, all count towards your five a day. It the mass produced ones that are unhealthy.
Didn’t the US Congress rule that pizza was a vegetable back in 2011 (I think that was the year)? So, five portions of veg a day = 5 pizzas a day? Right? Yeah? I though so… Mmm, pizza!
No if it has pineapple then it’s not a pizza. End of.
So wrong Jimmy so wrong
@Jimmyjoe Wallace: Your right Jimmy it is so wrong….
wasn’t there a campaign by a group of Italian chefs a few years ago to set rules for what could be classified as pizza and what could not? Pretty sure pineapple was barred, I think there were only 10 varieties that could be classified and sold as pizza.
@Jimmyjoe Wallace: I agree. There’s actually a set of rules -a recipe- on how made the real pizza, and a sort of certification. Something similar to rule enforced for certain wines. Unfortunately it has been rejected by EU the request for the right to use the term “pizza” only for those
I use to think it was utterly crass, but then I tried it
NFW! And no corn, cheddar cheese, or BBQ flavours, ugh!
Hawaiian Pizza with pineapple, yuk! Traditional Italian pizza with green salad, mushrooms,olives,genuine pastrami and garlic with none of that fake chemically treated chorizo sausage guff.
Ah traditional Italian pastrami you say…
It’s the best.
Pepperoni and pineapple is a university staple.
on a Tuesday fine but on a Wednesday or Friday yuck!
next question?
I miss the chicago pizza pie factory. Everything and the pan.
Pineapple a source of ananise. Good for oral hygiene
For once ive no real interest, surely there’s more important things to be discussing FFS
Indeed there are more important things, that’s why there are several hundred articles on the Journal dealing with said more important things. Imagine.
For oncer ive no real interest, surely there’s more important things to be discussing FFS
“FFS”….Fennel fudge sauce? I’d give it a go. Just half though.
Well recycled, Murray. Topical.
Of course it’s ok. You can put what you want on ‘em. Part of th attraction.
Oreo’s. Bleedin’ OREO’S!!!!
I rather have a pineapple on it than a dead donkey any day…
@Alois Irlmaier: Donkey ham is actually quite nice in fairness.
I love eating a nice as… never mind!
How about something serious poll????
My favorite topping.. With sweetcorn and cheese… However what I do find weird is whilst in Australia u couldn’t get sweetcorn on a pizza..and they looked at you like u had ten heads when asking for it!
An Australian culinary delight, to consider not having pineapple on pizza is denying a vital part of our cultural heritage
Mandarin is savage on pizza
How could you have ham without pineapple and how could you have an hawaiian pizza without pineapple? It may not everyone’s favourite but some pizzas would be lost without it. If people can order an egg on top(milano’s), anything goes!
Broccoli on pizza mmmmmmmmm
53% of you are bonkers.
I love pineapple on a pizza. And black olives..also i always put sliced banana ontop of a homemade curry i make.
have your say