Penny Wong labelled a hypocrite
Openly gay federal climate change minister Penny Wong is facing a barrage of community criticism tonight following her public declaration of support for the Gillard Government’s stand against gay marriage today.
On Channel Ten this morning Senator Wong said she respected Labor’s view of marriage as an institution between a man and a woman.
‘‘On the issue of marriage I think the reality is there is a cultural, religious, historical view around that which we have to respect”, she said.
Australian Marriage Equality spokesperson, Alex Greenwich, said Senator Wong’s rationale for opposing marriage equality is deeply hypocritical.
“It was once the ‘cultural, religious and historical view’ that women should not be members of parliament, Asians should not be allowed into Australia, and lesbians shouldn’t even exist, yet thankfully all that changed allowing people like Penny Wong to contribute to Australian society at the highest level.”
“By opposing marriage equality, Penny Wong has betrayed gay and lesbian Australians, and by using culture, religion and history to justify this opposition she has betrayed the principles of tolerance and inclusion that have given her immense opportunities as a lesbian woman of Chinese descent.”
“If culture, religion and history were sound reasons for upholding discrimination there would be no Senator Penny Wong.”
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Potts Point resident David Polson was more direct.
“Penny Wong is a disgrace. Yet another reason to vote for The Greens in the Senate,” he wrote to Sydney Star Observer after Wong’s comments.
Scott Hill from Paddington also wrote to the paper immediately after Wong’s comments.
“Your rationale that there are ‘cultural, religious, historical view(s) around that which we have to respect’ is simply not good enough.
“We ask you therefore whether you would have opposed enfranchisement for women, which was in opposition to ‘existing cultural, religious, historical views’.
“Naturally you would also have opposed the end to slavery, as there were also ‘cultural, religious (and) historical views’ that wanted it kept.
“We live in the 21st century. It is time Labor, followed the example of Britain and so many other countries and dragged itself out of the 18th. “
Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH) has organised a formal protest against the Gillard Government’s anti-gay marriage stance for this week.
Eggs will be thrown at effigies of Gillard and Opposition leader Tony Abbott at Taylor Square at 5pm this Thursday.
“With so much disappointment and disillusionment at both the major parties, this event is designed as a fun way for people to express their frustration at both Abbott and Gillard on issues such as the ban on our marriage rights,” CAAH co-convenor Ben Cooper said.
Each egg will cost $1, with the funds raised going towards the next mass demonstration for equal marriage rights in Sydney on Saturday August 14, Town Hall at 1pm.
I might be wrong, but I am sure that I had once read that Penny Wong had married her partner overseas.. So its alright for her, but not us… Interesting….. Hypocrite…..
Terrible! Treacherous! Horrific!
Get this woman OUT of politics… Actually what we REALLY need to do is get rid of ALL politicians that bring religion into it or collapse their personal beliefs to kiss the butt of their Boss…
With any luck, I’ll soon be in the Navy… And if I end up going to War, I have to wonder why I’m fighting for the right to freedom when people like Penny Wong support the oppression of me and my Peers…
Support your people, Penny Wong, or get out of politics…
The GLBTI community won’t be supporting YOU again, I daresay…
Dear Penny,
shouldn’t you step down from your job because it was once the ‘cultural, religious and historical view’ that women should not be members of parliament, Asians should not be allowed into Australia and lesbians shouldn’t even exist”
cheers Lori
While I wont bemoan anyone who wants a same sex marriage, union, partnership, call it what you will, at the end of the day it is a concept that is not for everyone, and it is about time the noisy minority within our community realises this.
People need to remember, this government has done more for the gay community in its first term, while the coalition did nothing in its 11 eleven years of government, do we want to return to that?
Should we lambast the current government for their inability to acton one issue? No!
You only have to look at the ramshackle efforts of Equal Love and their attempts in Canberra. A rally every few weeks with only 20 or so uni students attending and upsetting organisations with their militant approach. They have lost all credibility and respect for their cause
MS Wong….so you say….”there is a cultural, religious, historical view around that which we have to respect”
Fine, then get back in the kitchen and start popping out babies! Dont work on Sundays and cover your head!!! Sheeeeh stupid two face….
Dear Senator Wong,
I have never written to a politician before, however I am dumfounded by the comments you made over the weekend regarding gay marriage.
You are quoted as saying – ‘‘On the issue of marriage I think the reality is there is a cultural, religious, historical view around that which we have to respect”.
In view of your party’s current election slogan of “Moving Forward” this message just doesn’t make sense. If the status quo remained on every issue in regard to religious, historical and cultural beliefs, then not many years ago ,an openly gay, female of Chinese decent would not have been serving in our parliament. A female Prime Minister, who has acknowledged she is atheist, living in an unconventional defacto relationship would not have been elected. I am proud that our nation has progressed to the stage where this is now possible and I embrace our diversity.
I think it’s time we got some real reasons why gay marriage shouldn’t be legalized. Are there any? The Labor Party leader is atheist and in a committed non conventional relationship, so there goes the religious high ground. You represent through your sexuality and cultural heritage how much our cultural and historical views have changed. I can’t believe you personally agree with your human rights being compromised. It sounds utterly hypocritical. And as for respect – you show me none.
Please Senator Wong, let’s really “move forward” and make me and the other hundreds of thousands of gay Australians full and equal Australian citizens – legalise gay marriage.
I am gay and I vote – but no longer Labor.
Anthony- Great Idea.
Were can I donate to the SO WONG float? I hope it can go on tour at Midsummer, Mardi-Gras and every GLBTQI festival and end up out the front of her Church in Adelaide. Same-Sex Marriage marches would be good also.
On another forum someone has suggested next Parade there should be a float featuring people like Wong who should hang their heads in shame.
and John – rumour is going around that some within the Greens want to take over the Party and oust Brown.
Read it here
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/beware-the-greens/story-e6frezz0-1225893319043
I’ve just emailed Penny to ask her to confirm her views on female circumcision as practised in some societies in Asia / Africa. Because her moronic argument re same sex marriage would suggest she’s also in favour of this abhorrent practice.
Wow, for a woman that looks like Jackie Chan shes got some nerve!
John- The Greens are the only Party that advocates for Same-Sex Marriage. Show me another party that raises it in parliament? Show me another party that raises this issue in the community?
Unfortunately the Greens don’t know how to play hardball. They would never block supply just for us. They are too nice for their own good. We need a party that will have US as their reason for existence. Only then can we make it an issue that affects the whole country. The Greens would never block some other legislation in order to force a deal with the government to pass same sex marriage into law and stop this sham about “historical” precedents.
ps. I am hearing rumors that Bob Brown is about to get knifed just like Rudd was. any truth to that? article please!
Penny Wrong has taken a knife and put it in the back of every Gay person out fighting for equaility. How can we get to the same level as everyone else in this country if we have our own knocking us down.
cultural, religious, historical views’ is a cheap way out at least Miss Gillard was to the fact I don’t believe in gay marriage and I am not religious even Gillard didn’t take a cheap way out.
I will be voting for the greens in push for gay rights.
I do not want Civil partnerships or any other second rate term. Civil Marriages, with no Church at all, happens all the time. The Christian Church has never ever owned Marriage. It is a lie some put out. This should always be met with fierce resistance.
This is about inequality. Labor and Liberal do not want equality for us. They are offering nothing for the next term of government that can last four years. They have no vision for us. Penny Wong is Happy Clapper, good luck to her. The Majority of Australians are not.
When I vote I will vote Green and send a message that I want equality. Nothing less. I am not part human. My love for my partner of 9years is not part love. It is full love the same as the next couple.
Even Catholic Spain could see through the hate of the Vatican and vote for Same-Sex Marriage.
The Greens want full equality for us and so do I.
Australian cricketer Dean Jones had his Father of the Year Award taken from him after it was revealed an extra-marital affair had produced a child (which was against the organisation’s charter. Perhaps Same Same should consider removing her from their 25 Most Influential list for her support of such a shameful, discriminatory policy. Shame on you Penny!
Penny you are so Wong on this issue
OK, what do we want? Equal rights. When do we want them? Like, yesterday!
This isn’t going to happen anytime soon though unless we – the LGBT Community – approach it with some thought and compassion.
First off, the Marriage Act 1961 (and subsequently the Marriage Amendment Act 2004) needs updating with a Partnership Act. This needs to enable all religions (not just Christians) to conduct Marriage Ceremonies, and confine the word marriage to religious partnerships.
Any partnership outside the religious domain is then called a Civil Ceremony. And this can be between any two consenting adults of any gender.
This will get us out of the rut that we are currently in with the religious and conservative right factions and, hopefully, we will be able to move forward with ease and in harmony with everyone else we share our communities with.
Penny Wong is saying all those Marriages that did not happen in a Church are not valid. I think she is at the extreme end of the Happy Clapper movement talking in tongues.
Yet another reason why it is so important to ensure the Greens win the balance of power in the Senate at the upcoming election. The Democrats used to say they were there to “keep the bastards honest”. Perhaps the Greens should adapt the slogan “keeping the bastards human”.
The legacy of John Howard’s hate filled, divisive Australia lives on.
Every poll sees around 70% in favor of same sex marriage.
It’s never been an issue which will change any mainstream vote. In a secular society, it’s an issue of conscience, a matter of doing what is right.
Cultural and religious beliefs, nor political ambition, can ever be accepted as an excuse for discrimination or bigotry.
Cultural religious historical bollocks! I hope Penny got the cold shoulder when she went to bed with her partner that night.
I would like to add if Penny Wong had any amount of dignity she would resign as a Minister. She is desperately trying to cling onto power. She has shown she has no morals.
She says she is a practising Christian in the Pilgram Uniting Church in Adelaide. http://www.pilgrim.org.au/ . The Malaysian born Wong should be reminded many Churches were against her being allowed into Australia not so long ago, and that her Chinese ancestors allowed Same-Sex Marriage in Imperial China.
Wong is attempting to impose her view of Church morality on everyone. This at odds with the many Uniting Churches that openly support Same-Sex Marriage. She is a conservative sect.
We the GLBTQI community demand the resignation of Penny Wong!
Penny Wong has allowed herself to be used against us, to say our loving relationships are not as important as the next couple. Her comments are repulsive.
Wong has been one disaster after another.
I think Penny Wong should renounce her lesbianism. She no longer deserves the title of lesbian. Treacherous.
The Right Thing To Do is to grant full equal rights like every other civilised country is scrambling to do asap, by granting access to Civil Marriage at a government Registry Office (not to mention a number of churches WANT to marry us but are barred legally from doing so).
Think about this… 2% of the population of Australia are Aboriginal… being such a small percentage not worth caring about & easy just to keep the “status quo” & social “tradition”, did we just not bother granting them access to being able to vote Penny? Did we just not bother to remove laws banning them from interracial marriages Penny?????? NO- we still proceeded with this human rights reform because it was the Right Thing To Do.
Penny, you are a looking like a real idiot. It’s not about percentages of population when you are trampling on people’s human rights forcing them into Second Class Citizenship against the tide of other civilised countries who ARE “moving forward”. Not to mention the Same Sex Attracted population is about 10% of the population- add to that all thier family & friends who are now better educated about the issue of this human rights violation, Labor & they goofy stooges like Penny had better watch out!!!
Penny Wong knows she will score big time with “the people that matter,” – god botherer’s and the like. She is as much a prostitute to keeping her seat as Gillard is. Labor will do anything to stay in power which includes trampling over human rights. Her tactic, as Gillards is to drive people to vote green, this will will deliver labor victory since preferences are going labor’s way.80% of preferences are going labor’s way in lower house seats.
Alex Greenwich nails it again. I could not agree more with his comments above.
I was hugely frustrated after reading Penny Wong’s stance against gay marriage and I immediately emailed her to let her know how unhelpful her comments were. I encourage you all to do the same. Every communication to her counts.
She is a massive hypocrite and clearly puts her only political self interests ahead of what is right.
Shame on you Penny Wong, Shame on you!
The movement towards gay marriage is unstoppable. And when it finally happens, Penny Wong will go down in history as being opposed to it.
As if Gillard’s “Moving Forward” slogan wasn’t already a maassive joke …. clearly just words with no real substance now.
Moving Forward? Australia isn’t any time soon.
She will probably select 150 openly gay women for her decision making processes. The majority of heterosexuals should not be assumed to respect perverts activity and even the Pope has declared these actions wong.
What right does Penny Wong have to make a decision on our future.
I am now de-facto because of her government.
None of the current people in will do much for us as was said at the 2020 summit.
Religion was fine with everything else except marriage.
This country is not really religious so stop putting this up.
Get with the present “Truth.”