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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/aug/31/john-howard-says-religious-freedom-should-be-protected-before-marriage-equality-survey
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| John Howard says religious freedom should be protected before marriage equality survey | John Howard says religious freedom should be protected before marriage equality survey |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| John Howard has called on the Turnbull government to deal with the issue of protections for religious freedom before the same-sex marriage postal survey, adding his voice to a growing Coalition infight on the issue. | John Howard has called on the Turnbull government to deal with the issue of protections for religious freedom before the same-sex marriage postal survey, adding his voice to a growing Coalition infight on the issue. |
| On Thursday Howard told ABC AM it was “quite necessary” to deal with the question now and it was “not good enough” to wait until after the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports the results of the survey on 15 November. | On Thursday Howard told ABC AM it was “quite necessary” to deal with the question now and it was “not good enough” to wait until after the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports the results of the survey on 15 November. |
| The Turnbull government has refused to nominate which bill will be put forward in parliament if the postal survey approves of a change in the law to allow same-sex couples to marry and the extent of any religious exemptions to discrimination law. | The Turnbull government has refused to nominate which bill will be put forward in parliament if the postal survey approves of a change in the law to allow same-sex couples to marry and the extent of any religious exemptions to discrimination law. |
| Coalition warned it has 'uphill battle' in high court over citizenship and postal vote | Coalition warned it has 'uphill battle' in high court over citizenship and postal vote |
| The Coalition has been engaged in a rolling infight over religious freedom, with moderates including attorney general, George Brandis, Christopher Pyne and Simon Birmingham arguing the survey concerns marriage only, while conservatives including Tony Abbott, Peter Dutton, Zed Seselja and Matthew Canavan argue religious freedom is at stake. | The Coalition has been engaged in a rolling infight over religious freedom, with moderates including attorney general, George Brandis, Christopher Pyne and Simon Birmingham arguing the survey concerns marriage only, while conservatives including Tony Abbott, Peter Dutton, Zed Seselja and Matthew Canavan argue religious freedom is at stake. |
| Conservatives are concerned that Brandis and Liberal senator Dean Smith’s bills do not provide exemptions to discrimination law for religious people – including bakers, florists and photographers – to refuse to serve gay weddings. | Conservatives are concerned that Brandis and Liberal senator Dean Smith’s bills do not provide exemptions to discrimination law for religious people – including bakers, florists and photographers – to refuse to serve gay weddings. |
| So far, only the Liberal senator James Paterson has called for the issue to be dealt with before the postal survey, as conservatives seek to stoke fears to increase the no vote and moderates refuse to engage in the debate on their opponent’s terms. | So far, only the Liberal senator James Paterson has called for the issue to be dealt with before the postal survey, as conservatives seek to stoke fears to increase the no vote and moderates refuse to engage in the debate on their opponent’s terms. |
| Howard said the questions about “assurances of religious freedom” aired in the debate were “perfectly legitimate”, adding “and I think it would be a good thing if we get to have more specificity on that before we vote”. | Howard said the questions about “assurances of religious freedom” aired in the debate were “perfectly legitimate”, adding “and I think it would be a good thing if we get to have more specificity on that before we vote”. |
| “In fact, I think it’s quite necessary.” | “In fact, I think it’s quite necessary.” |
| The former prime minister said the current bills “only related to the putative marriage ceremony [and] there’s a lot more to it than that”. | The former prime minister said the current bills “only related to the putative marriage ceremony [and] there’s a lot more to it than that”. |
| Howard called on the government to provide more detail, specificity and assurances including defining “what steps it will take to ensure that state governments don’t withdraw exemptions in discrimination acts, for example, for religious schools”. | Howard called on the government to provide more detail, specificity and assurances including defining “what steps it will take to ensure that state governments don’t withdraw exemptions in discrimination acts, for example, for religious schools”. |
| “I don’t think it’s good enough, as some have said, that ‘well, we’ll deal with that issue after the vote’ – they have got to deal with that issue before the vote.” | “I don’t think it’s good enough, as some have said, that ‘well, we’ll deal with that issue after the vote’ – they have got to deal with that issue before the vote.” |
| Pro-marriage equality Christians attack TV ad pushing no campaign | Pro-marriage equality Christians attack TV ad pushing no campaign |
| At a doorstop in Sydney’s west, Malcolm Turnbull was asked if the government would change the Marriage Act if the high court struck down the postal plebiscite. | At a doorstop in Sydney’s west, Malcolm Turnbull was asked if the government would change the Marriage Act if the high court struck down the postal plebiscite. |
| He replied: “Sorry, I won’t get into hypotheticals. We are confident the challenge to the postal vote on marriage ... will not be successful, so we’re very confident the postal vote will go ahead.” | He replied: “Sorry, I won’t get into hypotheticals. We are confident the challenge to the postal vote on marriage ... will not be successful, so we’re very confident the postal vote will go ahead.” |
| In response to the same question Turnbull has previously said the government’s policy is “very clear” – that it will not facilitate the introduction of a marriage bill unless the Australian people have given their support through a yes vote in a national vote. | In response to the same question Turnbull has previously said the government’s policy is “very clear” – that it will not facilitate the introduction of a marriage bill unless the Australian people have given their support through a yes vote in a national vote. |
| On Thursday Turnbull said he was pleased that a large number of people have enrolled, and that he and his wife Lucy will vote yes. “And if the nation votes yes, then we will facilitate a private member’s bill to make same-sex marriage legal before the end of the year,” he said. | On Thursday Turnbull said he was pleased that a large number of people have enrolled, and that he and his wife Lucy will vote yes. “And if the nation votes yes, then we will facilitate a private member’s bill to make same-sex marriage legal before the end of the year,” he said. |
| On Wednesday the Australian Electoral Commission updated its figures on enrolment to reveal that of 933,592 enrolment transactions processed before the 24 August deadline, more than 98,000 were people added to the roll. | On Wednesday the Australian Electoral Commission updated its figures on enrolment to reveal that of 933,592 enrolment transactions processed before the 24 August deadline, more than 98,000 were people added to the roll. |
| Of those, 65,000 of people added to the roll were electors aged 18 to 24, a boost for the yes campaign given young people are more likely to support marriage equality. | Of those, 65,000 of people added to the roll were electors aged 18 to 24, a boost for the yes campaign given young people are more likely to support marriage equality. |
| Canavan told Radio National on Thursday that marriage equality advocates had a “strong argument” that “marriage is about love”, but argued that “it’s more than that”. | Canavan told Radio National on Thursday that marriage equality advocates had a “strong argument” that “marriage is about love”, but argued that “it’s more than that”. |
| The maths of marriage equality: how the yes campaign plans to win 5.5m votes | The maths of marriage equality: how the yes campaign plans to win 5.5m votes |
| “It is a lifelong commitment, people fall in and out of love all the time, but it is meant to be there, so you’re there forever for your children created by that relationship,” he said. | “It is a lifelong commitment, people fall in and out of love all the time, but it is meant to be there, so you’re there forever for your children created by that relationship,” he said. |
| After the Coalition for Marriage launched an ad linking marriage equality to gender education, Canavan suggested legalising same-sex marriage would be a first step to changes in education programs. | After the Coalition for Marriage launched an ad linking marriage equality to gender education, Canavan suggested legalising same-sex marriage would be a first step to changes in education programs. |
| “We have seen in other countries that this is the next step and to think that we can just change a fundamental institution in our society and not have any other consequences to how we think about things, how things are taught to our children, I think is naive, and that’s why we should think twice about changing things like this that have stood the test of time.” | “We have seen in other countries that this is the next step and to think that we can just change a fundamental institution in our society and not have any other consequences to how we think about things, how things are taught to our children, I think is naive, and that’s why we should think twice about changing things like this that have stood the test of time.” |
| Marriage equality | Marriage equality |
| John Howard | John Howard |
| Religion | Religion |
| Coalition | Coalition |
| Liberal party | Liberal party |
| Law (Australia) | Law (Australia) |
| Australian politics | Australian politics |
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