Same-sex marriage: Australia says nation should wait for Asia

A minister in Australia's conservative government on Thursday said Australia should not legalize same-sex marriage because no Asian country has adopted it. A multi-party private members' bill, co-sponsored by two government MPs, was revealed on Wednesday and will be introduced into Parliament in August, forcing the issue to be discussed in the Liberal partyroom. While the Labor party has allowed its members a free vote (an estimated 60 of its 80 members support marriage equality), coalition MPs are still bound by the party line against the change, and members appear split on the issue. Supporters of the change argue Australia has fallen behind comparable nations like the United States, Britain, Ireland and New Zealand, but Minister for Employment Eric Abetz said Australia should be following the lead of Asia. "The Labor Party and other journalists tell us time and time again that we are living in the Asian century, tell me how many Asian countries have redefined marriage?" Abetz told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). "Are we in the Asian century or not? It's amazing how certain people try to pick and choose in relation to debates. All of the sudden the United States, which is usually condemned, is now being celebrated on this bizarre decision of a 5-4 decision in the Supreme Court." "I believe that (public opinion will turn) when the community is informed on the actual impact that it is in fact having elsewhere, where people's rights are completely restricted in places like Canada and other countries where, if you are opposed to gay marriage, all of a sudden you are brought before the courts." Later on Sky News, Abetz described the push for marriage equality as "the latest fad" where the consequences of the change were not being fully considered. "If you undo the institution of marriage by redefining it for the latest movement or the latest fad, you will open the Pandora's box," he said.