Media Releases

Media Release: A farcical survey is good debt, investing in education is bad debt apparently

11 Sep 17

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) was disappointed with the decision by the High Court to allow the Same Sex Marriage postal farce to go ahead. It is CAPA’s stance that equal human rights should be a given and not something that has to be voted on.

It is clear that this survey is an attempt for the current Prime Minister to placate the backbenchers within a divided party. Perhaps in the confusion of continuous dual citizenship debacles the Prime Minster has forgotten that a member of parliaments job is to represent their constituents and that EVERY independent poll has shown one thing: Australians want marriage equality.

What the Prime Minister does not realise is that that LGBTIQA+ community has spent decades living with fear of persecution and the with-holding of their basic human rights, we are certainly not afraid of a spineless Prime Minister. We, as a community will stand strong with our allies, we will deal with the hurtful words of hate groups that have already, and will continue to be spouted, and we will win.

Then after this degrading process has occurred we will remember. We will remember the Prime Minister that did not stand up for equal rights, we will remember the politicians that have refused to do the right thing and we will remove you in the next election. Oh, and we will be 98,000 new voters strong brought on from your ineptitude.

CAPA will not only be encouraging people to vote yes over the coming months.And finally to the LGBTIQA+ community all we can say is that you do not stand alone.

CAPA National President Peter Derbyshire says:

“This is not a free speech issue, this is not a freedom of religion issue, this is a human rights issue. But what can we expect from a government that looks at human rights as guidelines more than actual rules.”

CAPA Equity Vice-President Vibol Hy says:

“Whether or not the high court would have stopped the postal vote or not, the LGBTIQA+ community would still be fighting every day for our rights. Don’t dismiss us as being part of the fringe of society. We are here, we are mobilised and we will vote for our rights.”

 

END

For Comment: CAPA National President Peter Derbyshire

M: 0435 047 817

E: president@capa.edu.au