Canberra Times Letters to the Editor: Prejudice is prejudice

No half-sane person, or even a senator with a history in the Institute of Public Affairs, would support a church, or a baker, that wanted the legislated right to refuse service to, say, people with Chinese ancestry. It's the same thing. Prejudice is prejudice.

Matt Andrews, Aranda

Congratulations to the "yes" campaigners and the people they fought hard for.

As a straight, white man I try to be aware of my privilege and can't possibly understand how deeply important today's results are for so many people across Australia.

However, I believe in equality and the right of people to be who they are, as well as to be able to commit to the one they love. I am proud to have voted yes and lent support to the cause.

The vote was an unnecessary delay and political tactic to extend an olive branch to bigots, at the expense of your emotional health and subjected you to needless hurt.

I hope this overwhelming result repairs the damage and gives you an even deeper sense of pride.

The smiling, tearful faces I saw this morning gave me a small insight into just what the vote meant for you. The older generations of LGBTQI people were especially inspiring.

To have battled through decades of hatred, isolation, judgment and even beatings and disowned families and emerge into today's light must be overwhelming.

To those who voted "no" I simply ask you to consider that when one barrier is removed for one group of people, greater rights and genuine equality and acceptance for all other groups is also closer.

Kel Watt, Braddon

Fifty years ago, millions of non-Indigenous Australians cast a vote to decide whether Indigenous Australians were allowed the right to vote in elections.

Apparently, many voted yes with trepidation and later congratulated themselves on their progressive decision.

In 2017, millions of predominantly heterosexual people provided their opinion in a non-binding survey on whether same-sex couples should be given a right that heterosexual couples already enjoyed.

No doubt many voted yes with trepidation and will later congratulate themselves on their progressive decision.

Such is the nature of progress.

Tony Judge, Woolgoolga, NSW

Any business people who feel disgruntled about the outcome of the postal survey would be wise to stick to what they know best and leave the "business" of moral evangelising to those institutions that have been granted the privilege of tax-exempt status for engaging in that sort of "business".

However, if there are any commercial businesses that simply cannot accept marriage equality and feel compelled to discriminate against LGBTI couples, they should not be shy about their views and, on the contrary, should publicise them widely so consumers can then exercise their rights to boycott them right out of business.

Bruce Taggart, Aranda

John Howard is ready to campaign against Kristina Keneally in the seat of Bennelong. ("John Howard expecting campaign call-up as Kristina Keneally vies for Bennelong", November 15, p4).

As only the second prime minister in Australia to lose his seat while in office can this be a good idea?

John Howard obviously thinks he will be an asset to keep John Alexander in the seat of Bennelong on December 16.

Having lost his seat of Bennelong is not a recommended credential.

Robyn Lewis, Raglan

It is cheering to see the current enthusiasm for religious freedom ('Church wants to protect religious freedom', November 16, p.8).

One assumes that is the same freedom now being enjoyed by Muslims in the Rakhine state of Myanmar, atheists in Bangladesh, Sunnis in Iran, Shias in Yemen or a Christian mayor in Djakarta.

Or perhaps it's the freedom enjoyed by Cayetano Ripoll, the last person murdered by the Spanish Inquisition in 1826 for being a 'deist'.

He was hanged, as I recall — then burnt for good measure.

Ah, to be so sure of God's opinion!

Geoff Page, Narrabundah

Outspoken Labor senator Doug Cameron was spot on with his plea for "less lawyers" in Parliament when speaking about the departure of Jacqui Lambie.

He also said "You are a tough, uncompromising working-class woman and we need more like you in here".

Why not start by replacing former lawyers Bill Shorten and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Penny Wong.

Len Goodman, Belconnen

Now the public has voted on same-sex marriage can we have a plebiscite or referendum upon the equally important level of immigration and on euthanasia?

These are issues upon which people have equally strong views but our elected representatives are reluctant to address.

Greg Cornwell, Yarralumla

Jacqui Lambie was never going to be made into a silk purse, but the makeover she achieved during her time as a senator was quite amazing.

M. F. Horton, Adelaide, SA

Waste to Energy using high temperature incineration is such a controversial issue (Letters, November 15) that the proponents, CRS and its 50:50 partner ActewAGL have advised, in the October 2 CRS newsletter, that the original proposal is to be split into two environmental impact statements.

This is in order to fast track the export of all ACT red bin waste now going to Mugga landfill into NSW to the similar landfill at Woodlawn, some 70km away near Tarago.

Surely the more viable rail freight facility should be located in Hume, on the Monaro Highway, where electricity is already being generated, or in Beard, where there is far less road congestion than at Fyshwick.

CRS/ActewAGL have publicly advised that their proposal will put an additional 145 garbage trucks per day onto Ipswich St in Fyshwick, which has only a single lane available for through traffic to and from the Monaro Highway or Canberra Ave.

Across the road, a bus depot is allowable. TCCS and EPSD planners and decision makers need to return to the drawing board and Ministers Gentleman and Fitzharris need to consider a future Canberra providing an efficient, safe and sustainable freight network.

B. Moore, Kingston

It was very interesting to read the article "Canberra players in college basketball" (November 14, p.40).

It must be remembered these players, while achieving good results, are professionals chasing the money.

There is no criticism in that.

While all this publicity for the professionals is fine, I would like to ask for a bit of publicity for five Canberrans who are also doing excellently in their chosen sport. So much so that they are team members representing Australia in the Women's World Floorball Championships to be held in Bratislavia, Slovakia in December.

These champions are not professionals chasing the almighty dollar; they are playing for the honour of representing Australia.

The four women players from the ACT in the team are Alex Staib, Lauren Hogan, Carolyn Margetts and Kathleen Chua.

Congratulaions to all of them.

The assistant coach is also a Canberran, David Speldewinde, so congratulaions to him also.

David has had excellent experience having been a playing member of the Australian team in the Men's World Floorball Championships several times.

Geoff Barker, Flynn

I'm addressing the person who nearly ran me over on Wednesday in the Glenloch Interchange.

First you tailgated me all the way along Parkes Way, and then cut through my lane near the on-ramp to the GDE.

I know you meant it because you gave me the finger as you tore off and then swerved back into my lane.

Then you thought you'd be clever by braking hard as we were turning up Bindubi Drive, trying to get me to run into you.

You might think this is some kind of funny game in a car, but when I'm on a motorcycle what you're doing is threatening my life.

Funny how we still ended up at the lights at Bandjalong Drive at the same time.

Your aggressive driving and threatening behaviour didn't gain you much there.

Next time, consider a semi-trailer doing this to you and see how you like that scenario.

Paul Wayper, Cook

Jim Molan – a retired Australian Army major-general – is reportedly keen to take up the senate seat vacated by Fiona Nash now that Hollie Hughes has been ruled ineligible by the High Court.

Section 44(iv) of the Constitution provides that "Any person who holds ... any pension payable during the pleasure of the Crown out of any of the revenues of the Commonwealth shall be incapable of being chosen or sitting as a senator".

As a retired army officer, Molan would be in receipt of a military pension paid out of the revenues of the Commonwealth. Surely that provision in section 44 rules Molan ineligible to replace Nash?

Don Sephton, Greenway

What carelessness some parliamentarians with foreign country backgrounds, even English, have shown for the privilege they were granted by a trusting people. And now some are asking for re-election. As candidates they must rigorously prove their Australian-only citizenship. The Constitution section 44 must be maintained.

Long-term republican reform as pledged by Labour is the way forward.

Bryan Lobascher, Chifley

Some 2500 candidates stood in the 2016 election of senators and members of the federal Parliament.

The current dual citizenship "audit" of the senators and members will resolve only some of section 44 eligibility issues.

If dual citizen candidates "shall be incapable of being chosen ... as a senator or member of the House of Representatives" then it is self-evident that their votes have no value and are invalid.

Does it not then follow the members cannot be elected on the basis of preferences from ineligible candidates?

Perhaps the Australian Electoral Commission should audit the dual citizenship status of the unsuccessful candidates and advise which other members of Parliament might have been invalidly elected.

A. Rhodes, Cook

Rory McElligott (Letters, November 14) says that Malcolm Turnbull put "$1,000,000" of his own money into the Coalition's election bucket to "keep his job" and can't be happy with the return on capital.

He has nothing to say about Bill Shorten who put $100,000 of other people's money into Getup, a mob set up to put financial and political pressure on Australia, at odds with his then role as a workers union rep, and to his current job of opposition leader, or even just as a citizen, all to deafening silence.

Shorten (and Rory) must be quietly pleased with the return on other people's capital.

Christopher Smith, Braddon

RATES UP 7%? I WISH

The assertion ACT rates have gone up by an average of 7 per cent ("ACT quarterly rates haul $480m", November 15, p7) feels like wishful thinking in my neighbourhood.

The average rise in our complex of 23 townhouses is just under 50 per cent and we hear they're to go up another 30 per cent next year. A 7 per cent annual increase? We'd love it.

Gregor Henderson, Mawson

NAMING RIGHTS

Re Rohan Goyne's suggestion that the light rail carriages be given names (Letters, November 15), may I suggest "Billion".

Brett Minifie, O'Connor

TRAM McTRAM?

Careful Roger Quartermain (Letters, November 16) or we'll end up with Tram McTram.

James Mahoney, McKellar

LET'S MOVE ON

Federal and state governments already have laws that make it illegal to discriminate on the basis of age, disability, race, sex, intersex status, gender identity and sexual orientation. It would be against these laws to refuse service to a gay couple. The "yes" vote won; let's just get over this.

Alan Leitch, Austin's Ferry, Tas

CONSERVATIVES ROUTED

By voting a resounding "yes" in the same sex marriage survey, the Australian people have done what Malcolm Turnbull was and is incapable of doing. That is to stare down the conservative rump in his party room. The Australian people have had to pay for it.

Frances Corcoran, Fraser

SOUR TASTE

Any baker refusing to sell, legally or otherwise, the wedding cakes for same-sex marriages, is liable to suffer significant loss of income, and not just that from the customers they refuse to serve. Consumers can be just as discriminatory in where they choose to buy their cakes of any kind.

Ed Highley, Kambah

DEEPENING DIVISION

The only result of the "yes" vote win can be the strengthening of the division between those who believe that there are sexual boundaries, and those who believe that there are none.

Claude Wiltshire, Queanbeyan, NSW

VOTE A DISTRACTION

The gay marriage issue is a boon to all sides of the government. It removes much of the public focus from ineligible members and leaves the government free to hasten to byelections. Members have been receiving big dollars unlawfully. Proceedings, which could see them ineligible for immediate re-election, should be instituted.

Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor

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