From News.com.au
LABOR leader Kevin Rudd is sustaining discrimination by refusing to support homosexual marriage, Australian Greens leader Bob Brown says.
Mr Rudd today while campaigning in the federal election that he would not change his mind on restricting marriage to heterosexuals even if any of his children were gay and wanted to marry a same-sex partner.
"Kevin, you're wrong. Gay and lesbian people should be treated the same as heterosexual people under the law,'' Senator Brown said in Canberra.
"When people form a relationship, they love each other, they get together, they share their lives, then the law should not be an impediment and they shouldn't discriminate,'' he said.
"That means removing the discrimination that Labor and the Coalition have on marriage laws against this section of the community who happen to have same-sex relationships.''
Speaking on the Austereo network today, Mr Rudd remained committed to his party line that marriage is between a man and woman, but admitted it was not a popular view in some circles.
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LABOR leader Kevin Rudd is sustaining discrimination by refusing to support homosexual marriage, Australian Greens leader Bob Brown says.
Mr Rudd today while campaigning in the federal election that he would not change his mind on restricting marriage to heterosexuals even if any of his children were gay and wanted to marry a same-sex partner.
"Kevin, you're wrong. Gay and lesbian people should be treated the same as heterosexual people under the law,'' Senator Brown said in Canberra.
"When people form a relationship, they love each other, they get together, they share their lives, then the law should not be an impediment and they shouldn't discriminate,'' he said.
"That means removing the discrimination that Labor and the Coalition have on marriage laws against this section of the community who happen to have same-sex relationships.''
Speaking on the Austereo network today, Mr Rudd remained committed to his party line that marriage is between a man and woman, but admitted it was not a popular view in some circles.
Prime Minister John Howard is also staunchly opposed to widening marriage laws to allow gays and lesbians an equal status.
He has said most Australians do not want gay marriage afforded equivalent legal recognition to heterosexual marriage.
Adoption
Mr Rudd alos indicated a Labor government would not move to make it easier for gay couples to adopt children.
Mr Rudd today tried to avoid putting forward a personal view on same-sex couples adopting, but eventually said he approved of it only in special circumstances.
The Labor Leader gave an evasive answer when asked whether a Labor government would make it easier for gay couples to adopt children.
"Adoption laws are governed by the states,'' Mr Rudd said at a TAFE in Sydney's Campbelltown.
"There are many things I may think about individual pieces of state legislation and the adoption law practices across the states, as I understand it, are quite different on these matters.''
Asked about his personal view, Mr Rudd said that some states allowed adoption in particular "circumstances', such as when parents died and the next-of-kin was in a same sex relationship.
"You need to have some discretion within the state adoption agencies to take care of those circumstances,'' he said.
"So that's why I say these things are properly left within the discretion of the state governments.
"The view is that, therefore, discretion should be allowed within state and territory jurisdictions to handle those circumstances.''
Pressed by reporters to confirm whether he believed such adoption should only occur in special circumstances, Mr Rudd said: "That is my view and that's how I've responded.''
Latest poll
The latest Newspoll has shown Mr Rudd's lead over Mr Howard as preferred prime minister and Labor's two-party-preferred vote both on the rise.
Mr Rudd was widely seen as having won the Sky News leaders debate on Sunday night, although many commentators said Mr Howard did better than expected. Treasurer Peter Costello and his Labor counterpart Wayne Swan have agreed to a debate on economic policy next week.
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