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.
While some governments would attempt to rationalize such a discriminatory measure, Howard’s apparently feels no need. Attorney General Philip Ruddock’s spokeswoman sent out a disturbingly honest message:
It does apply to overseas adoptions where there is competition for a very small number of available children. The measures will ensure that priority is given to those in typical family arrangements.
Because the orphan market’s really facing a slump, right?
Not all Australian politicians are such bastards, though. Greens Senator Kerry Nettle describes his government as “deeply homophobic,” and describes the “Family Law” thus:
This is a disgraceful move by the Howard government to pander to homophobic and fundamentally religious interests in the lead up to an election.
Using gay panic to grab votes? How original, Howard! Although, your logic’s a bit screwy – you’re pro family, but are attempting to limit the creation of families? What the fuck’s that all about?
Australian Coalition for Equality’s Rodney Croome definitely won’t be voting for Howard or any of his Liberal Party colleagues.
For a government to deliberately set out to stigmatize same-sex couples and their children to win a few votes in the lead up to an election is beneath contempt
The government clearly believes children are better off in a Chinese orphanage or on the streets of Manila than in the care of a loving same-sex couple in Australia.
If Senator Nettle’s to be believed, the government doesn’t care about the children at all.
cjc
Like in the United States with his ideological counterpart the GOP (“Liberal” is a misnomer in the American sense–think classical liberalism, i.e. free-market economics, not social liberalism), Howard’s got an election coming up. And he’s scared shitless that the Australian Labor Party will beat his party in elections that will happen either later this year or no later than January 2008. He’s shoring up his base.
stonerboy711
If gays can’t adopt, then who will take care of the children unworthy of christian love? Meaning: childred of color, crack babies and/or the disabled.
blondie67
We have had 10 years of this homophobe bastard running our country. He is starting to struggle and polls show it’s time to go. The Australian Labour party is the alternative government, however they have been decidely quiet on the subject of equal rights for gays in all areas, I say it would take a second term of the labour party in government for some real change to happen. Aussies make your vote count this year!
cjc
Blondie, hopefully he can take his bestest buddy W with him. We’ll gladly pay for our Army to kidnap both of them and ship them off to some deserted Pacific atoll. Or Antarctica, your choice.
blondie67
well cjc australia does have a concentration camp for refugees on the poor island of Nauru, maybe there!
cjc
Let’s put them in the general population there and see how long they last.