Liberal backflip on gay rights

(2/12) Glen Milne for the Courier Mail | BRENDAN Nelson has backed equal legal rights for same-sex couples in a dramatic move that immediately distances him from the Howard era.

"I don't support gay marriage, adoption or IVF," Dr Nelson said. "But I believe in addressing the social and economic injustices affecting homosexuals the length and breadth of this country."

Dr Nelson's younger brother Philip died of AIDS aged 34 in 1990. He kept his condition secret from his family out of shame. Dr Nelson, along with his Treasury spokesman Malcolm Turnbull, is understood to have argued unsuccessfully inside the Howard Cabinet for legal rights of gay couples to be recognised.

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22853841-952,00.html?from=mostpop

Brendan Nelson supports relationship rights for homosexual couples.

(2/12) Saltshakers Media Release | Within two days of becoming leader of the federal parliamentary Liberal Party, Brendan Nelson has announced that he supports the granting of equal rights to homosexual couples in 'economic' and 'social' areas.

He said he does not support granting rights in the areas of same-sex marriage, IVF and adoption.

In an interview on ABC's Insiders Brendan Nelson was asked about his statement on homosexual rights... this is what he said in his own words.

BARRIE CASSIDY: This morning there's a report that you're backing equal legal rights for same sex couples but that's not the same as supporting gay marriages, is it?

BRENDAN NELSON: No, look, marriage in my view is between a man and a woman. It is the foundation of our society. I do not support gay marriage. I do not support gay adoption. I do not support gay IVF, but I believe very strongly that the economic and social injustices faced by homosexual people across this country need to be addressed, from taxation to social policy issue. And I realise that there are some people listening to this, watching this, some of them quite conservative perhaps, who feel a little unease about this.

One law changes, 57 stay? No thanks

(7/11) Sydney Morning Herald | " ... a promise by the embattled Malcolm Turnbull (pictured left) to fix the superannuation problems of gay and lesbian public servants was greeted with dead silence this week by community leaders gathered to hear him in a fancy Double Bay hotel.

It's a promise that has been around since before the last election. These people know Mr Turnbull is on their side - if only because they've seen his full-page ads in the gay press, week after week. So when he trotted out this old pledge again on Wednesday night they were polite enough but went on eating.

Mr Howard always had opponents in the party room as he dabbled in the politics of sex over the past half-dozen years. They fought him when he opposed IVF for lesbians, banned adoptions by same-sex couples, redefined marriage - with Labor support - as a union of a man and a woman, and vetoed the ACT's plans for same-sex civil unions.

At each step along this path, Mr Howard declared he was not discriminating against gays and lesbians.

"I am in favour of removing areas of discrimination," he vowed last year. "If there are … areas of genuine discrimination, then I'm in favour of getting rid of them."

But when the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission identified 58 Commonwealth laws discriminating against same-sex couples in June this year, Mr Howard dug in his heels.

At a fiery cabinet meeting in late August, Mr Turnbull led almost all the ministers present in urging the Prime Minister to carry out the reforms. He refused.

.... Mr Howard is listening instead to church demands that reform must never come on the basis of sex. The states and territories have fixed all the problems simply by redefining "de facto" to include same-sex couples. But the churches won't have this.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/federal-election-2007-news/one-law-changes-57-stay/2007/11/08/1194329413119.html

Lesbian use of IVF not in children's interests, says Baillieu.

(26/9/2006) The Age | LESBIANS should not be given the right to IVF treatment, because children deserve to be born into a family with a mother and father, according to State Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu.

In one of his most conservative social stances since taking over the Liberal leadership almost five months ago ... .... Mr Baillieu's comments are in line with the views of Prime Minister John Howard, who believes that "all things being equal, children are entitled to the opportunity of both a mother and a father".

... They are in contrast with his views on other social issues, including gay civil unions, the decriminalisation of abortion, and voluntary euthanasia, all of which Mr Baillieu supports. He has been criticised by some of the more conservative Liberals for being too "left-leaning" on these issues.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/lesbian-use-of-ivf-not-in-childrens-interests-says-baillieu/2006/09/25/1159036473101.html