Australian Prime Minister John Howard got a queer surprise this weekend when a ballsy citizen asked him if there's anyone who could make him "turn gay," a term we absolutely loath. And, of course, anti-gay Howard seemed to loathe the question, as well…

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Australian Prime Minister John Howard probably won't be overturning his ban on gay marriage, but insiders say he's planning on offering gays some rights:

…Howard could announce within days a new policy to eliminate discrimination against same-sex couples in legislation.

Speculation is mounting that Mr Howard is set to announce changes to give same-sex couples the same rights of access to a partner's superannuation as are enjoyed by married and de facto couples.

As tensions build in Australia, Senator Bob Brown blasted Howard's stagnant policies: "I think he panders to homophobia in our society because he thinks it's been a vote winner and I think he's wrong."

John Howard may hold the fate of Australian homos in hands. As politicos and lobbyists gear up for a vote on granting gay couples some of the same rights afforded married straights, "sources" close to the debate say Prime Minister Howard's vote may be the most important. From Sydney Morning Herald:

…Sources said yesterday the result would most likely swing on the view of the Prime Minister.

John Howard was cited by one source as "being quite supportive" but neither he nor his office would telegraph his view yesterday.
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Fears of a Christian voter backlash and personal moral beliefs are motivating those opposed to any change.

Those voters, who have been writing angry letters to Liberal Party backer, Warren Entsch, don't realize the law doesn't change that much. Gays will only be given 54 of the same rights, including inheritance rights. There's no provisions even close to counting as "marriage". As Entsch says, "It doesn't change anything. It doesn't bring marriage into it."

Howard's been opposed to piecemeal legislation in the past. Will he change his historically anti-gay ways or do old habits die hard? We don't know, but we're on the edge of our collective seat!

Former Savage Garden front man Darren Hayes finds Australian PM John Howard's anti-gay ways "annoying". The gay Australian singer, who popped down under to promote his new album, This Delicate Thing We've Made, spoke out after his British lover, Richard Cullen, had to get a guest visa. Why did Cullen need a guest visa? Because the boys can't get married, duh!

It makes me angry and frustrated. I'm Australian and the way the law sits I can't bring my partner home as my partner. That to me is an infringement of my civil rights — a very un-Australian thing. I would never have voted for John Howard and I encourage people not to. I don't think he speaks for this country in the same way I don't think George Bush speaks for the US.

Hayes hit the nail: a reported 57% of Australians support gay nuptials.

Rest assured Hayes has more words for Howard:

Every time I come home there's this whole kerfuffle. We have to get Richard a visa. He's my partner, I share my life with him. I've inherited all the rights that 'normal' couples have. That's my right as a human being. It really annoys me.

Guess Hayes and Howard won't be having a sleep-over anytime soon, huh?

Australian Prime Minister John Howard's childish anti-gay politics take a particularly infantile turn today. The 68-year old politico and his government just introduced the "Family Law (Same Sex Adoption) Bill," which will prohibit gay couples from adopting international babies.

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• A reader suggested we post Dead Disco's "You're Out". We think it's fairly appropriate.

• Perez Hilton to be televised. Preemptive barf.

• Gay Australian judge Michael Kirby asked PM John Howard to change his backward stance on gay benefits: "Johan has put up with me for 38 years, and if I died he’d get nothing."

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Australia may have started as a penal colony, but its lovely citizens definitely know the meaning of social justice. Or, most of them, at least. 57% of the nation approves of gay marriage, proving once again that Prime Minister John Howard's severely out of step with his people.

The Prime Minister recently reiterated his disapproval of gay marriage:

We are not in favor of discrimination but of course our views on the nature of marriage in our community are very well known and they won’t be changing.

In light of the new nuptial numbers, Human Rights Watch urges Howard to change his homophobic ways.

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Australian Prime Minister John Howard remains one step behind his nation. The conservative politico spoke out against gay adoption just days before Western Australian witnessed its first gay adoption.

Now, a new Get Up! poll shows that 71% of Australians believe gays deserve the same marriage rights as their heterosexual counterparts. Get Up! executive director Brett Solomon says, "Australians don't want their gay friends and family to feel like second-class citizens".

While Howard's agreed to look at national policy, he's firm in his discriminatory denial of gay marriage:

We are not in favor of discrimination but of course our views on the nature of marriage in our community are very well known and they won't be changing. There's no possibility of our attitude in relation to gay marriage changing. In relation to other issues we certainly aren't a government that supports discrimination.

Howard better step his game up - elections are just around the corner. We'd absolutely hate if his archaic political views cost him his career. Oh, wait, no we wouldn't…

Australia's Victorian Law Reform Commission may have pushed for gay adoption rights, but historically homophobic conservative Prime Minister John Howard's pushing right back.

The 67-year old politico recently sat down with Australia's Southern Cross radio to tell the people men and women are the ideal parents.

It gives children the best opportunity in life. I know for some that sounds harsh, I don't think it's harsh, I think it's something that most people believe is the desired, the ideal outcome. [But] I'm not saying that gay and lesbian people don't display enormous affection to children.

He's just saying gays are unfit parents. Research shows, however, that there's no difference between guppies raised by gays and their more mainstream counterparts. Apparently Howard would rather see children on the streets than in happy homes.