It’s ok to say ‘no’ – and that won’t stop tomorrow
John Adams Spectator Australia 14 November 2017
No matter the outcome of tomorrow’s same-sex marriage postal vote, conservatives should not accept the outcome.
In the parlance of public policy, the consideration and public debate on whether to allow same-sex marriage in Australia has been grossly flawed and mismanaged.
With any major reform to public policy, good government and experienced public policy practitioners typically seek to guide the reform effort through a robust policy development process.
Such a process often entails a thorough review of the issues under consideration, an articulation of the problem, canvassing and carefully considering all relevant policy options, anticipating any potential unintended consequences and then the selection of the option which best provides the largest net positive benefit to society.
This fundamental process to delivering robust public policy outcomes has been all but absent in the Australian SSM debate.
Continued below the fold:
In other news:
Andrew Bolt, Herald Sun
MALCOLM Turnbull has ruled out weakening anti-discrimination laws so wedding planners can refuse to serve gay couples, as he prepares to welcome the historic outcome of the same-sex marriage vote today…
Mr Turnbull has lent his support to a private member’s bill by West Australian Liberal senator Dean Smith, which is expected to be introduced tomorrow if the yes vote is successful as widely anticipated.
But conservatives are backing an alternative bill proposed by Victorian Liberal senator James Paterson, which has extensive shield laws for businesses and others opposed to gay marriage, which would override some state anti-discrimination laws.
However, Mr Turnbull rejected calls for those far-reaching carve-outs.
“I don’t believe Australians would welcome, and certainly the government does not, would not countenance making legal, discrimination that is illegal, that is unlawful today,” Mr Turnbull said.
One conservative MP said Mr Turnbull seemed to have given up on holding the leadership for the long term.
The defence of the freedom of people not to cater to same-sex weddings is relatively minor issue – in the sense that I suspect few cases would arise. More important is defending the freedom of people to argue against same-sex marriage, especially given that three preachers have already been dragged before an anti-discrimination tribunal for doing so.
For Turnbull to simply dismiss concerns about such attacks on our freedom is a mistake. He threatens us and his own leadership.
