<H2><b>SENATE REJECTS GAY MARRIAGE BILL - HOMOPHOBIA AND HYPOCRISY LIVE ON IN FEDERAL PARLIAMENT</b></H2>

The Age carried the following report on 26 February 2010. The religious right continues to dominate federal politics and those in the parliament who want it to be otherwise are too intimidated, it would seem, to stick their necks out and oppose their party platforms. All the more disgraceful, then, that Penny Wong was in a cabinet meeting and was not prepared, yet again, to break ranks with her wretched colleagues and be present in the senate.


Senate rejects gay marriage bill


THE Senate has comprehensively defeated a bid to legalise gay marriage, although a third of the senators did not turn up for the vote.

Before the gay pride Mardi Gras in Sydney this weekend, the bill was rejected by 45 votes to five, with only the Greens voting to liberalise the marriage laws.

But some of the senators who were absent from the chamber are uncomfortable with their party's official policies opposing a move to let gay couples marry.

Among the notable absentees were WA Labor senator Louise Pratt, and South Australian Liberal Simon Birmingham, who was at a meeting in the opposition leader's office.

All the senior ministers including Climate Change Minister Penny Wong were at a cabinet meeting.

Because it was what the major parties term a ''Mickey'' - as in Mouse - where they vote together, senators who had a conscientious objection were not required to seek leave to miss the vote.

Senator Hanson-Young seized on the absentee rate to declare the major parties split.

''There may have been a group of senators voting to keep discrimination against same-sex couples being able to marry the one they love, but well over one-third of all senators were absent for the final vote, presumably the only form of protest open to them,'' she said.

The Greens have pledged to reintroduce the bill after the election.

MISHA SCHUBERT