Indonesia won’t break Australian ties over same-sex marriage
Indonesia’s foreign ministry has said it would not allow relations with Australia to be tarnished if same-sex marriage were to be made legal there.
This came despite claims from Australia’s agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce, that same-sex marriage could make the country seem “decadent” to Asian nations, and that it would harm relations.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott is a staunch opponent of equal marriage, but is facing pressure to allow his MPs a free vote on a cross-party marriage bill, following progress in Ireland and the United States.
Ahead of a bill that is set to come to a vote in August, Joyce warned that allowing gay people legal equality could lead to “judgement” from trade partners in Asia.
A spokesman for the Indonesian foreign ministry, Arrmanatha Nasir, said the issue was one for the Australian Government to address, as it would only affect Australian law.
MyPinkNews members are invited to comment on articles to discuss the content we publish, or debate issues more generally. Please familiarise yourself with our community guidelines to ensure that our community remains a safe and inclusive space for all.
Report this comment
Please let us know why you would like to report this comment:
The ability to comment will be removed from anyone who does not follow our Terms & Conditions