Government says Yes to Braddon street party to celebrate survey result

Holden Caulfield said :

dungfungus said :

…and I don’t rate SSM as important.

This is the problem with the way many people approach voting. Me, me me!

I do understand, of course, that it’s natural to vote for one’s own preferences and initiatives that you support individually. And that’s fine.

However, I wish more people would approach voting with a much broader view, one that takes in the thoughts and considerations of others, even if it may not be central to one’s own benefit.

I’m straight, so you could say that SSM is not important to me, either. However, not only do I consider that to be a cop out made from a position of relative privilege in this instance, it’s also not taking into consideration the wider, and not insubstantial, issues of fairness and equality. Further, to vote no just because it’s not important to me would show a lack of compassion to those for whom this is a very important issue.

My yes vote does little to directly change my way of life, but my support for SSM has made a small contribution to the acceptance and happiness for a section of our community who should have just as much right to be legally married as I do. And, importantly, to enjoy the same benefits under law that has hitherto been denied to same-sex relationships.

Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes and all that.

So, how many of these people that you know are going to use the impending changes to the Marriage Act?

dungfungus said :

… I don’t rate SSM as important.

So why waste your precious time even commenting in this post?

dungfungus said :

…and I don’t rate SSM as important.

This is the problem with the way many people approach voting. Me, me me!

I do understand, of course, that it’s natural to vote for one’s own preferences and initiatives that you support individually. And that’s fine.

However, I wish more people would approach voting with a much broader view, one that takes in the thoughts and considerations of others, even if it may not be central to one’s own benefit.

I’m straight, so you could say that SSM is not important to me, either. However, not only do I consider that to be a cop out made from a position of relative privilege in this instance, it’s also not taking into consideration the wider, and not insubstantial, issues of fairness and equality. Further, to vote no just because it’s not important to me would show a lack of compassion to those for whom this is a very important issue.

My yes vote does little to directly change my way of life, but my support for SSM has made a small contribution to the acceptance and happiness for a section of our community who should have just as much right to be legally married as I do. And, importantly, to enjoy the same benefits under law that has hitherto been denied to same-sex relationships.

Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes and all that.

runtheredlight said :

dungfungus said :

Funny how all the responses to my post came after the result of the survey was announced. None of you had the confidence to speak up before, did you and given and given less that 50% of eligible voters voted yes I don’t blame you.

I didn’t happen see you make that comment earlier than yesterday. By waiting for the official result, I was also able to give numbers, as I’m sure if I had spoken up earlier, you would have said that in your experience “yes” voters were still the exception and not the norm.

The ACT response rate was 82% of eligible voters, not “less than 50%”, and actually I’m not sure where you got your figure as the ABS recorded a national total of 80% of eligible voters as having returned surveys.

This is when I made the comment: dungfungus 6:19 pm 14 Nov 17. The 80% figure was early in the speech from the ABS Chief Statistician.

dungfungus said :

Funny how all the responses to my post came after the result of the survey was announced. None of you had the confidence to speak up before, did you and given and given less that 50% of eligible voters voted yes I don’t blame you.

With respect, I suspect it had nothing to do with confidence, and more to do with people not concerning themselves with proving their position to you.

Roksteddy said :

dungfungus said :

given less that 50% of eligible voters voted yes.

You would need to get 94.99% of the remaining eligible voters to vote no to change the result

The Newspoll conducted during the campaign stated that 63% of Australians supported SSM. The figure in the survey was 61.8%. Newspoll was a random sample of all Australians, many of whom did not return their forms. Which suggests that if the people who didn’t vote had returned their forms the Yes vote would have been higher, not lower.

It is cute and a desperation tactic to try and twist figures suggesting that your losing horse actually won but in this case it is nothing short of comical. No matter how much you try and massage these figures the Yes vote still won. Convincingly. And Dungers, I voted Yes and I stated here several times during the long campaign that I would be voting Yes and that I was not for turning.

dungfungus said :

Funny how all the responses to my post came after the result of the survey was announced. None of you had the confidence to speak up before, did you and given and given less that 50% of eligible voters voted yes I don’t blame you.

I still haven’t met nor do I personally know anyone who claims to have voted yes. And JM, I don’t read the Telegraph or listen to 2GB – I have said many times that I read the Canberra Times daily and listen to ABC 666. I don’t agree with a lot they say but I am mature enough to make my own mind up about important things and I don’t rate SSM as important.

Dungfungus,
I would have been certain you were wrong well before the announcement and the results only confirm it.

As for your statement, if it’s true, it simply means that either your circle of acquaintances is wildly divergent from the norm or that they haven’t told you honestly how they voted. Over 60% of eligible voters in the ACT voted Yes. 6 out of every 10 people you pass in the street.

Have a think about it.

Garfield said :

Pauly said :

And in 5 years time you will be hard pressed to find anyone who will admit to voting ‘No’.

It will be as socialy acceptable as admitting you supported apartheid. (and so it should be).
I’ll still be here in 5 years time and so will most of my 4800000 or so friends. We’ll still say the same thing.

NZ introduced SSM in 2013 and then deputy PM Bill English opposed it. During our campaign he said that he had had a change of heart and that in hindsight, allowing same sex couples to legally wed did not devalue the institution of marriage. The likelihood is that within 5 years some of the 4.8m who voted no will have changed their minds and others will have passed away. Those kids currently aged 13-17 will have reached voting age and the younger age groups have higher than average levels of support for SSM.

The level of opposition to SSM is set to continue decreasing as it has done since 2004. At that time 44% opposed and 38% supported it according to Newspoll. I’m not going to be so bold as to support the contention that in 5 years no one will admit to voting No. As in all social changes like slavery, women’s suffrage, apartheid, mixed race marriage, indigenous voting etc, there will be people who cling to their opposition till the day they die, but they will represent an ever shrinking minority.

Bravo!

dungfungus said :

given less that 50% of eligible voters voted yes.

You would need to get 94.99% of the remaining eligible voters to vote no to change the result

dungfungus said :

Funny how all the responses to my post came after the result of the survey was announced. None of you had the confidence to speak up before, did you and given and given less that 50% of eligible voters voted yes I don’t blame you.

I didn’t happen see you make that comment earlier than yesterday. By waiting for the official result, I was also able to give numbers, as I’m sure if I had spoken up earlier, you would have said that in your experience “yes” voters were still the exception and not the norm.

The ACT response rate was 82% of eligible voters, not “less than 50%”, and actually I’m not sure where you got your figure as the ABS recorded a national total of 80% of eligible voters as having returned surveys.