[box]Independent candidate for the up coming South-West Coast by-election, MICHAEL McCLUSKEY, has publicly endorsed the push for same sex marriage equality. He explains more here:[/box]

[quote]

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #8F9F59;”] I [/dropcap]strongly believe in the right of individuals who identify as being attracted to partners of the same sex to be given the freedom to publicly express their relationship commitment with each other via the institution of marriage if they should choose to do so.

Anyone with a sound working knowledge of brain science (neuroscience) and the ever expanding field of epigenetics, which deals with the expression and function of our genes, would understand that brain function does not fit neatly into a handful of ‘boxes’.

There are many normal and varied patterns of behavioural expressions along the complex spectrum of brain functioning and human individuality. This includes normal variations in sexual identity and expression.  Like many other human traits, sexual attraction does not fit neatly within a ‘single label’ and both ‘same’ and ‘opposite’ sex attraction have equal validity.

Society is in an ever-evolving state in relation to our tendency to want to ‘pathologise’ human differences between individual members within a community. Thankfully we are slowly becoming better at embracing our differences be they of a sexual, racial, ethnic or religious nature. Not so long ago we physically punished a child for being left handed. Thankfully that belief lives in the past. How much longer will it be before some of our antiquated beliefs about same sex couples are also left to the history books?

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #8F9F59;”] A [/dropcap]ustralian society has travelled a long path in its relationship with sexual identity.

It was not so long ago we were imprisoning people who were in same sex relationships. Even as late as the 1970’s psychiatry was still labelling same sex attraction as an abnormality. Psychiatry’s DSM, the ‘bible’ of psychiatric disorders, which is drawn up by some of the greatest medical minds in the world, was still labelling same sex attraction as a mental illness that needed medical intervention to help ‘cure’ it.

Thankfully today the level of acceptance within society towards same sex couples has come a along way from those well meaning but very ill-informed social, religious and scientific dogmas.

The current scientific research is quite clear on same sex attraction. Same-sex attraction, orientation and behaviour is a healthy variant along the normal spectrum of human sexuality.

The American Psychological Association Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation in 2009 clearly states that ‘The research and clinical literature demonstrate that same-sex sexual and romantic attractions, feelings, and behaviours are normal and positive variations of human sexuality, regardless of sexual orientation identity. There is a growing body of evidence concluding that sexual stigma, manifested as prejudice and discrimination directed at non-heterosexual sexual orientations and identities, is a major source of stress for sexual minorities. This stress, known as minority stress, is a factor in mental health disparities found in some sexual minorities.’

The Australian Psychological Association also states that it ‘supports full marriage equality for all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, on human rights, health and wellbeing grounds and that the most important family factors for children’s well-being are family processes and the quality of interactions and relationships, not family structures (like having a mother and a father).’

I believe the quality of love a child receives is the ultimate determinate of their future emotional, mental and physical health and this quality is not defined by the gender of the care giver. Our economic potential is also intimately linked to the quality of love we receive in childhood.

The current political approach to same sex equality might best be characterised by paraphrasing an old quote: “Sometimes the longest journey a politician undertakes is the one from their head to their heart”.

Dr Michael McCluskey B.V.Sc. (Hons.)

Independent Candidate

South-West Coast electorate

(8 Megan Ct, W’bool.)

Comment – Carol Altmann

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #DC943C;”] H[/dropcap]aving dipped out of the Liberal pre-selection race for the South West coast by-election, Warrnambool City Council Mayor Michael Neoh is tipped to contest the seat for the National Party.

Bluestone understands that Mr Neoh resigned from the Hamilton branch of the Liberal Party soon after withdrawing from the Liberal Party pre-selection – which is fast attracting as many entries as the Melbourne Cup – and is to be confirmed shortly as the Nationals candidate.

Mr Neoh’s nomination by the Nationals would give him a clear run at the highly-prized seat, without enduring a potentially embarrassing face-off against Liberal Party contenders including Tom Napthine, the son of Dr Denis Napthine, agriculture activist Roma Britnell and former Upper House MP Donna Petrovich.

Mr Neoh could not be contacted today for comment and the National Party’s Victorian head office was tied up in its national conference in Canberra.

Sources have told Bluestone, however, that Mr Neoh’s candidacy for the National Party was all but assured.

The somewhat surprising move fits with Mr Neoh’s cryptic comment after withdrawing from Liberal Party preselection earlier this week that he was “keeping his options open”.

Mr Neoh repeated the same comment to the ABC earlier today:

“I certainly would love to represent rural and regional Victoria but at this time I still want to keep my options as wide as possible,” he said.

While some thought Mr Neoh might run as an independent, Bluestone has been told that Mr Neoh decided he could only run with the support of a major party behind him.

Again, his comments to the ABC today support this view:

“I think some of the ingredients that are really important to any candidate are having full support and having a platform to do that.”

The Nationals last held what was then the seat of Warrnambool from 1985-1999 under the hugely popular John McGrath.

While this latest move may see Mr Neoh build upon his political aspirations, it will also present a major challenge to the Liberal Party by splitting the conservative vote between the two Coalition partners.

This will be music to the ears of independent Roy Reekie and Greens candidate Thomas Campbell, who will be looking for any advantage they can to pull back a seat that requires an almost 12% swing to change from Liberal hands.

Unlocked – read our earlier comment piece here: By-election: are we on a road to nowhere?

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You might also enjoy…

 

Roy Reekie’s open letter to voters

WCC wimps out on marriage equality

W’bool losing its character brick by brick

WCC Mackay trip: keeping it in the family

 

 

Comment – Carol Altmann

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A02F2F;”] T[/dropcap]ake a moment to watch the 49-second video above.

This footage was taken around Merino/Digby by the daughter of Kellie Donovan, whose grandchild can be heard whimpering as the car bounces along roads that can only be described as disgraceful.

Kellie uploaded this footage to Facebook (Fix Our Rural Roads), together with photos of other local roads that have potholes so large, you need to drive on the wrong side of the road to avoid them.

Merino/Digby is just west of Hamilton, but anyone who has driven around the roads in south-west Victoria – including portions of the M1 Princes Highway – will be able to relate to it.

We have all gripped our steering wheels that bit tighter as we bump and slump our way across the dips and potholes that have turned our roads into dangerous obstacle courses.

Why do we have to put up with it?

Below is a photograph taken last Thursday of the archaic Warrnambool-to-Melbourne train service chugging its way toward Melbourne: it is slow, the carriages are old and often unsuitable for people with disabilities, and it is always crowded. Even the food is terrible.

Why do we have to put up with it?

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A02F2F;”] T[/dropcap]he third-world condition of our local roads and major train service are just two of the symptoms of living in a seat that has been taken for granted for decades.

Like Russian dolls, we live in a safe Liberal seat (the state seat of South-West Coast) within a safe Liberal seat (the federal seat of Wannon) and, in my view, this has bred contempt for the locals.

This contempt has been shown not only in the years of neglect of basic infrastructure such as safe roads, but in how our little patch is now treated like some personal family company by the Liberal Party.

We saw this played out in full colour this past week.

The retirement of long-serving South West Coast MP Dr Denis Napthine has seen the nomination of his 24-year-old son, Tom, as heir apparent and I can’t help but think of Rupert Murdoch passing the baton down to his golden sons.

Tom, despite being a novice, will no doubt have the full backing of Wannon MP Dan Tehan who owes Denis one for helping him get elected to a plum Liberal seat that he had never even lived in.

Dan, as he reflected last week, was mentored by Denis who, in turn, was mentored by Dan’s mother, the late Marie Tehan, another Liberal MP. See how it works? You look after my family, I look after yours.

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A02F2F;”] T[/dropcap]his neat succession plan, however, hit a hurdle when another arm of the Liberal Party decided to push its own candidate – Donna Petrovich.

If this name doesn’t ring a bell, don’t worry, it shouldn’t: Donna is a former MP who represented the area around Macedon, north of Melbourne.

That’s right: another Dan Tehan moment, where a candidate is dropped out of the sky into the south-west in the hope of winning a comfy, safe seat.

Three other Liberal hopefuls have also emerged in Warrnambool Mayor Michael Neoh, farming advocate Roma Britnell and Glenelg Shire councillor Anita Rank. (The Liberal Party will preselect its candidate on Sept 20 – update Michael Neoh has since withdrawn and will now run for The Nationals).

And where is the Labor Party in all this?

Despite it being a rare opportunity where the sitting MP is retiring, they have flip flopped all over the place as to whether they will even bother to run a candidate.

As it stands, the ALP’s Roy Reekie is gearing up to contest the seat for a fifth time, but this time as an independent. (Michael McCluskey is also running again as an independent, while The Greens are yet to select a candidate (update: The Greens will again be represented by Thomas Campbell.)

And somewhere in the middle of all this internal squabbling and manoeuvring and climbing over each other for pre-selection is…you.

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A02F2F;”] S[/dropcap]o what do you want?

I know what I want.

I want our seat to become marginal, where no party, or person, can ever assume that they will be in power for year, after year, after year.

Instead, every election should be a hard-fought battle, rather than a fait accompli.

I also want a candidate who has principles and sticks to them.

Just last week we saw Michael Neoh say that he supported marriage equality, only to run the other way when he was asked by the Byron Shire Mayor to formalise that support. (Mr Neoh has not only since changed his stance on supporting gay marriage publicly, but changed political parties!)

And I want a leader who loves our part of the world and will fight for it, without becoming blinded by their own ambition to be a Minister, or Premier, or the well-paid chair of some parliamentary committee.

Is it too much to hope for?

I hope not, because without these things, I fear that we will continue to be the poor cousins of the state, rumbling along on our slow trains and broken roads to nowhere.

[box]The State Government is undertaking a state-wide review of its public transport systems, including for the south-west. You can also have your say online via this link here. [/box]

[button link=”http://the-terrier.com.au/subscribe-2/” type=”icon” icon=”people” newwindow=”yes”] Click here to become a Bluestone supporter.[/button]

You might also enjoy…

 

Roy Reekie’s open letter to voters

WCC wimps out on marriage equality

W’bool losing its character brick by brick

WCC Mackay trip: keeping it in the family

 

Just in: The ALP has confirmed it won’t be running a candidate in the seat of South West Coast on Oct 31 – but Roy Reekie, who ran for Labor against Denis Napthine last time, will run as an Independent. This by-election just got more interesting! Do you think Roy running as an Independent (albeit as still a member of the ALP) will boost his chances of a victory? Read his open letter to voters below:

Tuesday 1 September, 2015

Letter to editor – An open letter to South West Coast electors

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #DC943C;”] A [/dropcap]t the coming by-election for South West Coast, I will offer myself as an independent candidate to be your representative in State Parliament.

It’s fair to ask: if I’m not with a major party, what do you get?

Those who know me or who have observed what I’ve done in the community and in my career over the past thirty years will know that I won’t be propped up by photo-ops; I won’t speak through media release; I won’t be someone’s mouthpiece.

I don’t look like a normal politician. I don’t sound like a normal politician. I would not be a normal politician.

If I’m elected, I will consult with, listen to and speak on behalf of the community, with strength and without fear.

Having run in four previous elections (1999, 2002, 2006 and 2014), I recognise that this is my last chance to be elected as a parliamentary representative for a part of the world I love. My future – our region’s future – is in your hands.

This by-election provides the south west with a golden opportunity to control its own destiny; to break the mould by electing someone who can truly represent the entire region without fear or favour.

Whether that is me is not the point. The point is that, in this first ever by-election for South West Coast, our region might find its voice and, like the north east of Victoria, make itself contestable and relevant to both major parties.

Roy Reekie

Ferguson Street Warrnambool.

(PO Box 882 Warrnambool 3280

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