AUSTRALIA: Catholic Church Pressures Businesses To Back Off Marriage Support

The Archdiocese Of Sydney is ever so pissed at the 150+  Australian corporations that have placed a joint newspaper campaign in support of same-sex marriage.

The Catholic Church in Sydney is sending letters to companies that publicly support same-sex marriage, expressing its "grave concern" about their stance. The ABC has seen a copy of one letter addressed to the chairman of partners at Maurice Blackburn law firm, Steve Walsh, from the Archdiocese's business manager Michael Digges. "It is... with grave concern that I write to you about the Marriage Equality for Australians campaign," it reads. "You are publically supporting a strategic, political and well-funded campaign designed to pressure the Federal Government into changing the Marriage Act. For corporations to speak on such issues... is indeed overstepping their purpose and it is to be strongly resisted." Maurice Blackburn principal Liberty Sanger said she was not sure what the intention of the letter was, but either way the law firm would not be intimidated.

The letters contain veiled threats to boycott LGBT-supportive businesses, warning them that the church is a "significant user of goods and services."

AUSTRALIA: Sydney Rallies For Marriage

AUSTRALIA: Hate Group Tries To Air Anti-Marriage Equality Ad During Sydney Mardi Gras, Network Refuses

Via SameSame:

SBS has flatly refused to show a controversial fear-mongering advertisement for ‘traditional marriage’ during tonight’s broadcast of Sydney Mardi Gras Parade highlights – and the maker of the ad is very annoyed about it. Australian Marriage Forum lobby group President Dr David van Gend, who appears in the ad simply billed as a ‘family doctor’, explained in an email to his supporters yesterday: “Our ad was booked and paid for to be shown tomorrow night during the SBS delayed broadcast of the Parade – but only yesterday our agent received this message from SBS management: “We choose not to run this TVC for the Marriage Forum during the Mardi Gras telecast.” “No explanation,” says a rankled van Geld. “As I see it, this is a case of censorship by a public broadcaster of even the mildest expression of ‘unacceptable opinion’ on same-sex marriage. That is a disgrace.”

NOTE: This post was edited to reflect that the ad did not air.

Sydney Rings In 2015

Their fireworks are always the best.

AUSTRALIA: Grieving Partner Of Murdered Hero Cafe Manager Speaks Out

Via Australian television:

Siege victim Tori Johnson's partner has thanked Australia and the world for the outpouring of support for the family that has come in the wake of the Martin Place tragedy. Thomas Zinn read an emotional statement directly to viewers on the TODAY Show this morning, speaking of the family's pride in the strength of the community. "As you can imagine, this is a very difficult time for our family," he said. "We are experiencing unimaginable grief but when we look at the sea of flowers with all the heartfelt messages, and the crowds of supports at Martin Place, we know this grief is shared by the country and the rest of the world." He extended particular thanks to the police and emergency services who worked tirelessly to resolve the siege and supported the family during those horrible hours. He also offered Mr Johnson's family's love to the family of the other siege victim, barrister Katrina Dawson.

Johnson's father speaks in the final clip below. The "sea of flowers" at the site of the murders will be composted and used as part of the landscaping for a planned memorial.

AUSTRALIA: Murdered Hero In Sydney Cafe Siege Was Openly Gay Man

The Sydney cafe manager murdered yesterday after being held hostage by a deranged Islamist was an openly gay man in a 14-year relationship.

The manager of the Lindt cafe who was fatally shot in the Martin Place siege is being praised as a hero who helped others trapped in the cafe to escape. Tori Johnson, 34, was wrestling a gun from hostage-taker Man Haron Monis when he was killed. It is understood the cafe manager decided to take action when the gunman began to doze off after the siege had been ongoing for 17 hours. He lunged at the hostage-taker’s weapon, allowing others to flee. He was one of two hostages killed in the siege, with 38-year-old lawyer Katrina Dawson also fatally shot. The family has gathered at the 34-year-old’s apartment as his brother James flies to Sydney from Canada. The cafe manager was in a long-term relationship with his partner of 14 years, Thomas Zinn. It is understood Mr Zinn is being comforted along with the Johnsons at the couple’s home.

Johnson's family has released a statement:

We are so proud of our beautiful boy Tori, gone from this earth but forever in our memories as the most amazing life partner, son and brother we could ever wish for. We feel heartfelt sorrow for the family of Katrina Dawson. We'd like to thank not only our friends and loved ones for their support, but the people of Sydney; Australia and those around the world for reaching out with their thoughts and prayers. Our deepest gratitude to the NSW police, armed forces and paramedics for their tireless efforts. We ask that the media respects our privacy in this difficult time. Let us all pray for peace on earth.

Condolences have poured into Australia from Stephen Harper, David Cameron, President Obama, and other national leaders. (Tipped by JMG readers Wayne and David)

SYDNEY: Giant Condom Riles Anti-Gays

A giant condom wrapped over a monument in a Sydney park has enraged anti-gay activists.

The 18m fluoro covering was slipped onto the Hyde Park Obelisk overnight as part of an advertising campaign commissioned by an agency for HIV prevention among gay men. Australian Christian Lobby director and outdoor advertising lobbyist Wendy Francis has spoken out on the stunt, telling news.com.au it was “disgusting” and “completely inappropriate”. “My position on this is always that the government but also the community we have responsibility to our children,” she said. “There is a time and place for talking to children, and an age appropriate time for parents to talk to children about condoms. Parents do not want to be forced into a situation where they have to explain something that’s not relevant.”

The AIDS Council of New South Wales says the condom will remain in place for the next week.

AUSTRALIA: Protesters Block Entrance As Hate Conference "Opens In Chaos"

Via the Guardian:

About 100 protesters blocked the entrance to the Catch the Fire evangelical ministries in the Melbourne suburb of Hallam on Saturday morning, where the controversial World Congress of Families conference was scheduled to begin. Many speakers, including the American campaigner Angela Lanfranchi, who planned to speak on the thoroughly debunked link between breast cancer and abortion, were unable to get through the gates in their cars. Their path was blocked by protesters holding signs with slogans such as “Our bodies are our property” and “Women are not incubators”. More than 30 police officers formed their own barrier on the opposite side of the gate in the quiet street of Star Crescent, located in an industrial area. It forced attendees to trickle through the gates one by one as church security struggled to establish whether they had registered. The Monty Python satirical song Every Sperm is Sacred boomed from a sound system organised by protesters. The protests were vocal, but largely peaceful. Two protesters were arrested as others chanted “What’s the charge?”

More from The Age:

One protester managed to sneak in as a registered guest, storming the stage and pouring fake blood over herself in front of NSW MP, the Reverend Fred Nile and his wife. "We don't want your backyard abortions," she yelled, before being marched out. Guests at the event were visibly rattled by the breach and turned to prayer as the woman was ushered outside. But despite ongoing protests at the gate throughout the day, the rest of the conference was incident free. Controversial American breast cancer doctor Angela Lafranchi was one of the headline acts, pushing her research suggesting a link between abortion and breast cancer. Reverend Nile, leader of the NSW Christian Democrats, called for more Christians to get involved in politics. And Paul Hanrahan, the executive director of Family Life International Australia, used his speech to suggest abortion was worse than terrorism in Syria. "Many people lately have been upset at the terrible atrocities being committed in the name of religion in Iraq and Syria and other places. Terrorists and terrorists' kids holding severed heads is certainly gruesome. Answer me this: how is it worse?" he asked.

A slideshow of today's protest is here.

RELATED: Rev. Nile made international headlines in 2010 when it was revealed that his state parliament computer had been used to view a huge amount of porn. One of Australia's most vile anti-gay activists, Nile has called for abolishing Sydney Mardi Gras because it's a "public parade of immorality and blasphemy."

Bingham Cup: Day Two Highlights

AUSTRALIA: Gay Couple Legally Marries At British Consulate In Sydney

Gay Star News has the story:

From today British consulates around Australia are allowed to marry same-sex couples where at least one of the parties is a UK citizen. What is believed to be the first such marriage in Australia took place today around 3pm at the British consulate near Sydney’s Circular Quay and involved a Scottish Australian couple. Peter Fraser and Gordon Stevenson married wearing matching kilts in the Fraser clan tartan after 19 years together. The couple were declared married by the British Consular General who said performing the marriage was one of the highlights of his posting to Australia.

Australia does not recognize same-sex marriages regardless of where they were performed. Such marriages are now permitted at any British consulate in the world, with the provisos that one person must be a UK citizen and that the host nation does not object. More from the Guardian:

Fraser and Stevenson thanked the British government for giving same sex couples the opportunity to marry in their consulates around the world. “While I do feel so proud and really privileged to be the first of what I’m sure will be many couples here, I am also conscious that now we have left the consulate and gone outside, our marriage will not be recognised here under Australian law,” Fraser told media. “Gordon and I have waited 19 years for this day, I hope we do not wait much longer for our marriage and the marriage of all Australian couples who have gone overseas to get married… to soon be recognised here in the country we all call home.” He said he hoped that just as swiftly people could marry as they had done, surrounded by family and friends “but without the need to seek protection of the laws of another country.”

The couple appeared on an Australian chat show today before the ceremony.

Sydney Rings In 2014

Tom Thum At TEDxSydney

Possibly the best beatboxer I've ever seen and the bit where he mocks German techno (5:50) really cracked me up.

(Tipped by JMG reader Fritzrth)

AUSTRALIA: Premier Of New South Wales State Backs Same-Sex Marriage

"As a Liberal who believes that commitment and family units are one of the best ways in which society is organized, I support the concept of same-sex marriage. It was New Zealand that in 1893 first gave votes to women; it took us another nine years to do it. It shouldn't have to take us another nine years to get the lead of our cousin across the ditch. - Barry O'Farrell, premier of the Australian state of New South Wales, whose capital city is Sydney. 

Petition Of The Day

The petition is from the global rights group All Out.

Police Brutality Mars Sydney Mardi Gras

A spokesman for the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras this morning sent us the below press release.

Late Tuesday evening, SGLMG received and viewed footage  involving NSW Police arresting a spectator with excessive force at the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade on March 2, 2013. This incident is quite distressing and our thoughts are with the individual, his family, friends and those that witnessed this. The Board and Management of SGLMG assure the community and parade viewers that we have requested a meeting tomorrow with the Minister of Police and that we are working with the state Member for Sydney, Alex Greenwich, MP Sydney, to have this incident investigated and addressed.

Minutes before the above statement arrived, I was tipped to the below video by JMG reader Dennis. While we don't yet know the backstory regarding this young man's arrest, I must warn you that I literally gasped when the cop slammed his head into the pavement. Unforgivable.

UPDATE: The Australian gay news site Same Same is on the story. The victim claims he was arrested for attempting to cross the road during the parade.

Same Same has also been contacted by witnesses to another alleged police assault in the same vicinity on the night, with claims that a young man was punched and left bleeding after his head was smashed against concrete after he had already been handcuffed by police officers.

A witness at the scene with her two teenaged sisters says the violent actions of the officers involved left her younger siblings seriously traumatised. “They were crying while the police bashed the boy’s head into the cement,” she said. “It was horrible, disgusting behaviour.”

Another witness adds: “They picked him up by the throat and slammed him into the ground with his head hitting the ground that hard it sounded like a bowling ball hitting the ground,” she said. “This was while he was in handcuffs.”

The victim also claims the he was kicked by several officers. The Sydney Morning Herald is now reporting the story.

Sydney Celebrates 2013

Sydney Mardi Gras Has A Kiki

Sydney Mardi Gras Condom Ad

(Via - Copyranter)

Sydney Rings In 2012

Sydney's Gay Mardi Gras Parade