Homophobia: Now Available to Threaten Straight People's Lives, Too!
Today the Oz informs us of the Libs' plan to force single mums to look for work once their kids have reached school age as part of a broader plan to boost the nation's labour market and tackle the skills crisis.That sentence again: Boost the nation's labour market and tackle the skills crisis.
Here's another initiative they have on hand to boost the nation's labour market and tackle the skills crisis: Prevent overseas-trained psychiatrists from taking positions in Western Sydney hospitals and thus exacerbate the chronic shortage of mental health specialists in public hospitals.
Why? Why else - because they are fags.
This government's fear of and utter contempt for gay and lesbian people is actually placing people's lives in jeopardy. Here are two doctors ready, willing and able to take on "area of need" positions that other professionals aren't willing to touch, but because the Howard Government is so...hmm, I really want to find le mot juste here...got it - FUCKED - NSW will fall even shorter of the number of trainee psychiatrists required to enter the system and provide vital medical services. Ultimately it's the patients who will suffer as a consequence of this appalling discrimination.
Quote the Migration Institute of Australia:
"The same-sex partners do not meet the definition of spouse, which in this day and age doesn't make a whole lot of sense."
No, it doesn't, but then this government's approach to same-sex couples has always had less to do with common sense than with pandering to uber-right Jesus freaks - in both its own coalition and in Family First - long enough to install as many barriers as possible to deny those couples legal and practical recognition and validation. Once again, they're relegated to second-class status.
It's clear this government never listens to the few gay and lesbian lobby groups left in Australia. One hopes they may, however, listen to the NSW Institute of Psychiatry ("this is clearly discrimination against same-sex relationships), the MIA, and the grossly under-funded, under-resourced public hospitals. One has to hope, otherwise one might go a little crazy. And as we can see, they'll be nobody on hand to take care of us when that happens.
posted by Sam @ Friday, April 01, 2005
8 Comments:
Once again leave it to the migrants to do the jobs "honest Aussies" aren't doing, only in this case, not even.
It literally leaves me speechless how blatant this instance of discrimination is, and the government gets away with it. Then again Howard's in his fourth term as PM. I go now, find gun and shoot meself.
Crackles
No no, John Howard is definitely not a man worth killing oneself over. Gael Garcia Bernal maybe (to prove a point about the purest of love) but not J Ho.
Actually to tell the truth, this makes sense under the current legislation. Obviously we want this legislation changed, but this comes as no surprise.
Homosexual relationships arent considered to be "families" in any way, therefore they cant recieve spousal visas, its pretty simple and makes sense. Its a stupid policy being carried through to its logical conclusion.
There are benefits to relationships not being recognised although I would prefer they were.
A friend has been unemployed for several months and receives all the Centrelink benefits. However, he has been living with the same guy for twenty years and this partner earns over a hundred grand a year. But as the relationship is not recognised he is entitled to the welfare benefits.
I agree with you Nic, this is just following the letter of the law to its current logical conclusion and ultimately there needs to be sweeping reform rather than piecemeal patching.
The point of my posting however remains true that the law as it currently stands (and which will never change so long as Howard is PM) is placing the mental health system under undue and unncecessary pressure, all to further an antiquated prejudice.
The UK will accept overseas same sex couples and provide work visas for both, were one of the partners has been contracted to a UK organisation
No doubt about that Sam. Just seemed a bit of a stretch to me.
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