Senator Abetz on Free Speech in Marriage Debate

The repeated smears from the left including Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus against people who support marriage are disappointing.

“In circumstances where “Safe Schools” author Roz Ward herself linked the program to the issue of same-sex marriage in May 2013, it is fair and reasonable for advocates of retaining the definition of marriage to highlight a potential expansion of the programme as a possible consequence of changing the law,” Senator Abetz said.

According to news reports, Ms Ward on that occasion said:

“The question of equal marriage is important in every single school that I go to, because I talk to teachers and they say to me: ‘How can we continue to fight against homophobia when the students will say to us that same-sex couples or transgender people cannot get married to the people they love? The law says it’s not equal and then we need to turn around as teachers and say: well it should be but it’s not’.”

And more recently in June this year, Ms Ward addressed a rally entitled “Marriage Equality Now, Safe Schools Everywhere”.

“Given these two glaring examples, Mr Dreyfus needs to explain why Ms Ward is wrong and not hector those who are simply exposing the consequences of changing marriage.”

“Community activists campaigning for issues that they are passionate about used to be something that the left celebrated. Yet now Labor and the Greens are desperately trying to shut down anyone who doesn’t share their viewpoint,”

“Free speech is a precious yet fundamental freedom which has been eroded under the guise of political correctness. Despite the left constantly talking about tolerance, they are the most intolerant when it comes to people saying things they don't like and this is just another example,” Senator Abetz concluded.