Basic human right

Agenda not what you think

I’M waiting for my postal vote, my chance to have a non-binding vote on what I consider to be a basic human right of being able to marry the person you love. It’s a horrible privilege. I don’t want to get to say whether I agree with the idea that two people should be able to marry. I wonder at times about when the qualifying nouns were different, when we were talking about whether white people and black people had the right to marry each other. Most people understand the laws prohibiting that process to be a heinous humanrights violation.

I’m going to be happy to look back on this time in the same disgust, when Australia says yes and we can get on with it. I may be slightly broke though. Hopefully I’ll be attending a few long-awaited weddings.

Knowing it all

WHAT’S the difference between Tony Abbott and Alan Finkel? One is a leading authority on climate change, the other is Australia’s Chief Scientist.

Giving sanctuary

HYPOTHETICAL: A nearby country brutally attacks a minority within it. Within a week, 400,000 people flee to Australia in leaky boats. How does Australia react? Do we give the people sanctuary? Or do we turn the boats back?

Give up peace prize

AUNG San Suu Kyi received the Nobel Peace Prize as an unwavering champion of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Her recent performance suggests she should do the decent thing by relinquishing her Nobel Peace Prize. Failing that, she should be stripped of it.