Can you imagine if any state or territory government in this country made the bold call to spend tax-payer’s money campaigning for a ‘No’ vote in the upcoming postal plebiscite? This would be portrayed by the left as one of the most evil and divisive things that had ever seen.
It’s not much different than a state or territory government spending tax payers money campaigning for a ‘Yes’ vote.
It’s not the business of government to tell you how to think. The marriage equality issue is a matter of conscience that individuals will decide upon based on many personal and often cultural and religious factors. Sure, individual members of government and/or opposition can run their own campaigns, on their own time and with their own money, but it certainly shouldn’t be paid for by ratepayers.
The Chief Minister presented a motion to the Legislative Assembly last week which called upon the Assembly “to support the ACT Government in joining and actively participating in the campaign to achieve marriage equality.”
I am voting yes in the plebiscite, but I was outraged by this motion. I sat across from the Chief Minister as he spoke to the motion and I heard him say these words.
“I’m confident in the support of all my (Labor) colleagues for marriage equality. I’m confident in that support because all of my colleagues are great people.”
So there we were calling for a non divisive, respectful debate and starting it by asserting that all ‘great’ people will vote yes. Assumingly bad and mediocre people will vote no.
If you’re voting no, it doesn’t mean that you are a bad person. It is your right.
You should vote how your heart tells you to vote. If you wish to seek guidance from friends, family or others, by all means, do so, but I’m certainly not going to tell you how to vote. It is blatantly wrong for this government to spend your money campaigning for a Yes.
Was the motion carried? Of course it was….with the support of the spineless Greens. So your money will be spent on this campaign.
The Chief Minister was asked a number of times about the cost of this active campaign, but he refused to come up with an answer. My email inbox is chock full of angry correspondence from Yes and No supporters alike. They all share the same theme….that this is an abuse of taxpayers money to push a personal agenda.
This is what I said in my maiden speech to the Legislative Assembly in December.
“I’m here for the LGBTI community in the ACT. For the most part, it’s not a concentrated community at all…it’s just a bunch of people who are scattered across all parts of the city who’s sexuality happens to be different to mine.
I’m not an advocate for same sex marriage… what I am is just sick to death of talking about it. It is inevitable that this country will legalise same sex marriage and I wish we would just get on with it.”