Next, Foster lumbered up to the microphone and out boomed a simple message: I’m a dad, I love my daughter. McKim said that the Greens are holding off bringing on their already-tabled marriage equality Bills until around the end of the year, charitably giving Labor (State and/or Federal) the chance to come good. “World champion axeman and patron saint of Tassie red necks touches a gay and a greenie!” He has done Tasmania proud by making discrimination just that bit more socially unacceptable.īut while the other members of the gloriously eclectic panel where literally in Fozzie’s shadow, when each got up to speak, they made just as valid, moving and eye-opening contributions.įirst up, Nick McKim detailed the political context of getting marriage equality legislation up in parliament, whether State of Federal. And, yet, there he is in today’s Mercury, each huge axe-wielding arm around Nick McKim and Rodney Croome. Although the man comes across as true gentle giant, as well as articulate and fair, it’s true to say that he’s still not just champion axeman but champion red neck.
What David Foster has done for equality and against discrimination in Tasmania is immeasurably courageous and constructive. Why? 200 kilos and a handlebar moustache, for a start. The Greens’ marriage equality motion on Tuesday next week, followed by a debate on Wednesday, is rumoured to stand a good chance of passing, with Labor making ameliorative noises.
Society has moved on – and nowhere more dramatically than in Tasmania, which has gone from the last place to decriminalise homosexuality in Australia to the state leading on social issues, especially marriage equality. And equally it was tinged by a strong sense of love, the fundamental reason most Australians recognise marriage equality should be enshrined in law. This optimism was tinged with sadness for the discrimination inflicted by Tasmanians upon fellow Tasmanians in the past, just because of their sexuality or gender – and which is still inflicted today – admittedly and thankfully, a lot less than it was. (If it does, it would be the eleventh member of a sadly exclusive group of progressive countries where marriage equality is legal.) For it seems marriage equality, whether at State level or federally across Australia, stands a good chance of becoming law.
And that was the upshot from last night’s marriage equality forum: optimism. “Inevitable and desirable” was how one of the panellists, lawyer Greg Barnes, described marriage equality in Australia.