Dr Carter Heyward, Episcopal priest, theology professor, and resident of Massachusetts believes, "that the church should get out of the marriage business altogether." However she writes in the The Witness of 6 June 2004 that she will solemnize same-sex marriages, apparently in defiance of her Bishop's view that clergy in his diocese should not do so. (Bishop Shaw, has, however encouraged work in the Diocese of Massachusetts toward the blessing of same-sex civil unions.)

... the current controversy about marriage, in Massachusetts and throughout the U.S., reflects a muddle of confusion between civil rights and patriarchal religion, in which most Christian churches are attempting to put the brakes on the civil movement for gender and sexual justice. In this context, I find myself 'marrying folks' because, against the tradition of Christian marriage which is patriarchal to its core, marriage between persons of the same sex has become a momentous justice issue in relation to which Christian churches that profess a love for Jesus as Liberator, Healer, and Reconciler should be leading the way.

... it became clear to me that, as a priest, I have a pastoral responsibility to the whole people of God ...

... for the church to change, the church must act its way into new ways of thinking. The Episcopal Church will not be able to think its way successfully toward an inclusive gay-affirming re-imaging of Christian marriage until there are lots of gay and lesbian Episcopalians who are married. People act -- and the canons and liturgies catch up over time. That's how laws get changed inside and outside the church.

... Nowhere in the [rules of the Episcopal Church] is 'gay marriage' rejected or forbidden. ... To interpret 'holy matrimony' as an unambiguously heterosexual institution is to strengthen its unambiguously patriarchal moorings.

... The Episcopal Church's official 'ban' against its clergy solemnizing gay marriages, along with similar rulings in other churches, will be milked politically on behalf of the amendment to ban same-sex marriage in Massachusetts. The Episcopal Church's pastoral, sacramental, and liturgical leaders need to be standing against this unjust amendment with our bodies, liturgies, and vocations.

... When Episcopalians talk about 'unity,' they should be asked: "Unity with whom?" With the Bishops of Nigeria and South Carolina or with the suicidal gay teen in South Carolina and the Nigerian lesbian beaten and raped because someone discovered she's lesbian? The 'unity of the church' argument has been used against every justice movement that has ever threatened to change the church. Our unity isn't worth much if it's not rooted and grounded in justice, healing, and reconciliation, which take time -- but which do not ever require us to perpetuate injustice.

... I believe my most vocationally responsible role is to be pastorally, sacramentally, and liturgically present to lesbians and gay men who are seeking today in Massachusetts to be married by Episcopal ministers.

Living in the inner city, even a young city like Canberra, puts us near to enjoyable places with an interesting history. Haig Park is very close to the apartment where we live now and to our new townhouse. It was established in 1921 as "windshelter break" to protecting Canberra's earliest suburbs from strong winds and dust. The location for the new city was bare and windswept. The park is an urban forest of densely planted predominantly exotic trees on the northern edge of downtown Canberra (Civic).Haig Park's formal design of trees planted in parallel rows is unique in Australia. The planting was designed by Charles Weston, Canberra's first Superintendent of Parks and Gardens. Weston had been in the National Capital since 1913 and so had first hand experience of the cold, hot and dusty winds of the site for the city and the role which trees could play. Weston laid out the massive "shelter break" in fourteen rows using predominantly exotic evergreen and deciduous trees. Over 7,000 trees were planted in 1921, including more than 2,000 tall, quickly growing Pinus radiata.There are also many Roman cypress, Cupressus sempervirens 'Stricta', perhaps reflecting a desire to remember the many Australians who had not returned from World War I. This cypress is traditional symbol of death and immortality. The park was named after the death in 1928 of Field Marshall Haig, commander of British Empire Forces in World War I.The park's historic nature has been maintained. Most of the short lived Pinus radiata have been replaced in the past 10 years, but the original design remains. Haig Park is popular for lunchtime office workers, weekend picnics, and fitness activities.(Source: Gray, J. The Historical and Cultural Background of Selected Urban Parks in Canberra, 1997.)

George Browning, Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn has joined the Anglican Primate of Australia, Archbishop Peter Carnley, to ask Anglican Churches throughout the country to open on 30 June for special prayer for peace as authority is handed over in Iraq.

I strongly support the Primate in this appeal and encourage you to have a special time of prayer with as many or as few of your people as are able to gather on that day.

Opinions about the appropriateness or otherwise of coalition involvement in Iraq is bitterly divided. However there is no division of opinion over the fact that it is the responsibility of the world community to assist the Iraqi people in the rebuilding of their country.

. . . I encourage you to make the month of July a month of special effort to raise both consciousness and money for the children of Iraq.

Bishop George is encouraging local churches to consider special fund raising events and other activities, if possible involving the media and the community beyond the Church, declaring this to be an opportunity to assist local communities - including local Muslims community - to make a contribution to this "unifying cause". (Money raised would be distributed through the AngliCORD charity and through partner Churches working in Iraq.)

Prepare imaginatively for a cause which is not only godly, but could also assist your community to feel they are making a real contribution to the restoration and healing of a country whose pain has been so graphically shared across the world.

The Australian Government is very keen to deny the courts an opportunity to recognise the marriages of same-sex couples who were married overseas.A Bill passed by the House of Representatives and now before the Senate seeks to redefined marriage as being only between a man and a woman, to deny recognistion of same-sex overseas marriages, and to prevent same-sex couples adopting children from overseas. The Labor opposition objected to the anti-adoption provisions of that bill (Marriage Legislation Amendment Bill 2004) and it has gone to a Senate Committee for report - which will take months.Yesterday the Government forced a new Bill (Marriage Amendment Bill 2004) through the House. It contains only the change to the definition of marriage - which Labor has said it accepts. The new bill does not include the anti-adoption provisions.Though Labor decried the new Bill as an abuse of process, only the Australian Greens member, Mr Organ, objected to its content:

Attorney General Philip Ruddock and the Labor party are in bed together, and the bed is homophobia. The prohibition of marriage for same sex couples offends human rights and common decency.

If people want to marry they should be able to, regardless of their sexuality. It's an application of the basic principle of equality before the law.

What part of that don't the Australian Labor Party and [the Government] Coalition understand?

It's another Latham [Leader of the Labor Party] back flip. At the time he was elected as ALP parliamentary leader, the Opposition Leader said that he did not distinguish between relationships on 'religious grounds whether it's a same-sex or different-sex relationship, I don't draw a distinction.' Now he's happy to prohibit same sex marriages at the blink of an eye.

People need to know that the ALP stands for something, and that includes opposing homophobia. People should ask themselves just when will the ALP finally stand up for a principle?

Now Labor must decide in the Senate whether to pass the re-definition of marriage. However Ms Roxon (Labor) said in the House yesterday, "We will not be supporting speedy passage of this through the Senate and we object strenuously to the process which has been undertaken by the Minister." The new Bill is listed for introduction into the Senate today, but further consideration is subject to exemption from a Senate 'cut off' rule that normally prevents bills being shoved through at short notice.

Follwing negotiations between the Government and the Australian Democrats, the Superannuation Legislation Amendment (Choice of Superannuation Funds) Bill 2003 passed by the Senate yesterday contains amendments to a person in an interdependent relationship with a superannuant as an eligible beneficiary.

27AAB Interdependency relationship
. . . 2 persons (whether or not related by family) have an interdependency relationship if:
(a) they have a close personal relationship; and
(b) they live together; and
(c) one or each of them provides the other with financial support; and
(d) one or each of them provides the other with domestic support and personal care.

The amendment does not remove all discrimination against same sex couples, as we are not treated equally with opposite sex de facto couples. It may be difficult to prove compliance with the definition. The changes do not apply to superannuation for federal public servants. The Government has made no commitment to changing the rules for public sector schemes.

Big Yellow Taxi They paved paradise And put up a parking lot With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot. Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got Till it's gone. They paved paradise And put up a parking lot. They took all the trees And put them in a tree museum And they charged all the people A dollar and a half to see 'em. Don't it always seem to go . . . Hey farmer, farmer, Put away that DDT now. Give me spots on my apples But leave me the birds and the bees. Please! Don't it always seem to go . . . Late last night I heard the screen door slam And a big yellow taxi Took away my old man. Don't it always seem to go . . . - recorded by Joni Mitchell, in the album Ladies of the canyon (released April 1970), published 1969 Siquomb Publishing Co.

Listing of Canberra as a world heritage city may be impossible if a heritage-listed English oak plantation is cleared to build a multi-storey car park and new public service offices. Rosslyn Beeby, writing in the Canberra Times on 16 June used the obvious headline "Historic oaks to go when they pave paradise and put up a parking lot." The 1.75ha York Park oak plantation, on the corner of Kings Avenue and State Circle in Barton, is classified by the National Trust of Australia and the ACT Heritage Council and listed on the Register of the National Estate. It commemorates the visit to Australia in 1927 by the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the late Queen Mother). The Duke planted the first tree, brought to Australia especially for the occasion from the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew. The Department of Finance and Administration intends to build five-storey offices and a multi- level car park on the site. -- cutting down 20 of the 75-year-old oaks and attempting transplantation of 27 elsewhere. Only 27 of the 74 trees would remain. Heritage experts describe the proposal as "brutal". "If we destroy this plantation, we are destroying Canberra's history and the original vision for Canberra as a city in the landscape," one said. "It is nonsense to talk of transplanting mature oak trees . . .". Liberal Party Senator for the Australian Capital Territory, Gary Humphries, opposes the removal of the plantation and allowed a newspaper to photograph him hugging one of the heritage trees.

Often it's a certain wetness behind the eyes (or else a joyful laugh) that tells me I'm 'connecting' during each Sunday's church services. This week, the theme was liberation, but it was once again one of the songs that touched me. As poetry, this one's rather ordinary, but the ideas spoke to me. Jesus emptied himself (kenosis) and yet possessed all the fullness of God.

Faith will not grow from words alone,
from proofs provided, scripture known;
our faith must feel its way about,
and live with question-marks and doubt.

The pattern Jesus showed, we share:
life comes through death, hope through despair.
God is made known in brokenness,
and faith feeds on God's emptiness.

The church still tells how Jesus came
through death to glorious life again
the strangest story! Yet, maybe,
our faith will thrive on mystery.

Faith takes the little that we know,
and calls for hope, and tells us: Go!
Love and take courage, come what may;
Christ will be with us on the way.

-- Vernon Griffiths, 1894-1985

A piece by Kevin Jones posted to the Every Voice Network raises some troubling questions about the conduct of the Lambeth Commission, which is studying the way forward for the Anglican Communion in the face of controversy over homosexuality.

The Eames Commission is meeting this week in Kanuga [North Carolina] with Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold [of the Episcopal Church of the USA] and three prominent leaders of the schismatic American Anglican Council.

Not invited and repeatedly rebuffed from contacting the Commission charged with finding a solution to the crisis in the Anglican Communion are two key groups that oppose the conservatives' schismatic agenda. . . . none of the 'Via Media' groups have even had their letters answered by Eames, much less been invited into dialogue. It's the same story with Claiming the Blessing and Integrity, the coalition of gay advocacy groups that led in getting same-sex blessings recognized by General Convention last year and supported the election of [Bishop] Gene Robinson as the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church. Similarly, Robinson himself, along with the New Hampshire diocesan nominating and standing committees have not been able to get through to talk to Eames.

. . . In contrast to the way he's actually conducting his inquiry, here is what [Archbishop] Eames has said publicly on multiple occasions about what he's doing: "I've been several times to the States. I have had open communication with most of the main figures. I have met most of those who wanted to speak to me personally, and in the next weeks I'll be meeting some others. I don't want anyone to feel that they're not being listened to. . . ."
Gay and lesbian activists say they have been told that they are not part of the conversation because the real issue is about ecclesiology: how the church can live together with differences, rather than homosexuality.

. . . Taking a leap of faith for a moment to imagine that it's a fight about how to do church and not a dispute over whether it's a sin to be a homosexual, then a second question arises. . . . Why has the growing network of 'Via Media' groups been excluded from Kanuga? Why have their requests to talk to Eames been rebuffed and their letters to the Commission gone unanswered? Their problems are exactly those that [Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan] Williams say are the real issue; how to stay connected when you disagree with church leadership.

When Eames says he is listening and asking searching questions who is he really asking? . . . How reliable or accurate a report can the Eames Commission produce if they are only talking to one side?

from: What Eames says is not what Eames does, posted by Kevin Jones to the Every Voice Network on 15 June 2004.

In a submission to the Lambeth Commission, Njongonkulu Ndungane, Archbishop of Cape Town, has written magnificently of the way ahead in the world wide Anglican communion. Here are some extracts; read the full text here

My prayer is to find restorative processes that open doors beyond painful division. We must develop new means for handling conflict and finding new beginnings, to share with the world for the good of the gospel.

. . . I do not downplay the seriousness of what we are facing. There is such tremendous pain surrounding the issues of sexuality that gave rise to the Commission - though its mandate focuses on questions of koinonia, communion. Actions have been taken and statements made that have fallen far, far, short of building up our common life. I keep praying that when each of us speaks or acts, we will have the grace to consider the wider, and longer-term consequences - and have the courage to hold back when we may be bringing further distress.

. . . All the Bible teaches us about creation resonates with both unity and diversity. We know these give rise to inescapable tensions, which we must face head on. There will inevitably be times when we disagree, and I do not think we have yet fathomed all the dimensions of how we hold together in Christ. The 'bonds of affection' that hold us together are both human and God-graced. Our human frailties in relationships are interwoven with transcendent possibilities of reconciliation and forgiveness.

Where injury has been done, we must respond in ways that help heal the breach. The secular world is increasingly turning to restorative justice, in place of retributive justice, as a way of not just dealing with wrong-doing but making it the stepping stone to something better.

Restorative justice . . . emphasises healing the wounds of all parties concerned . . . All sides must be willing to engage openly and honestly, and be prepared to contribute appropriately to help bring resolution, in ways that may only emerge as this holistic process unfolds. The desired outcome is that everyone involved will become contributing members of a community that grows and shapes itself to minimise the possibility of similar harmful actions finding fertile ground.

The South African experience shows something of what can be achieved. . . . Within the Church we should not be slow to follow this lead! How much greater should be our optimism that with God's grace we can overcome even painful division. Lasting discord and separation can never be God's plan for us . . .

. . . we must always bear in mind the demands upon us as servants of God's mission in his world. . . . Faith communities are uniquely placed to give a lead, and among them the Anglican Communion must play its part - learning how to handle our own divergences can only be a help within our diverse world.

Njongonkulu Ndungane. The life of the Anglican Communion: a way ahead: submission from the Archbishop of Cape Town to the Lambeth Commission, Cape Town, 14 June 2004 [ACNS 3844, 17 June 2004]

Last Sunday, when we visited the parish that is likely to be our new church family, this was the first hymn we sang - how welcoming!

Come as you are
Deirdre Browne, 1936-, arr. David Putney

'Come as you are: that's how I want you.
Come as you are; feel quite at home,
close to my heart, loved and forgiven.
Come as you are: why stand alone?

'No need to fear, love sets no limits;
no need to fear, love never ends;
don't run away shamed and disheartened,
rest in my love, trust me again.

'I came to call sinners, not just the righteous;
I came to bring peace, not to condemn.
Each time you fail to live by my promise,
why do you think I'd love you the less?

'Come as you are; that's how I love you;
come as you are, trust me again.
Nothing can change the love that I bear you;
all will be well, just come as you are.'

Dr Muriel Porter, a leading Australian Anglican laywoman, writes in The Age of 14 June 2004 on "How our 'leaders' are exploiting gays"

It is time for a reality check in the gay marriage debate.

. . . [T]he same people who want to deny gay couples any vestige of formal recognition for their union, are also the first to denounce the stereotypical gay lifestyle. . . . But if they refuse to honour monogamous same-sex unions, what alternative are they offering gay people? . . . Most people, whether they are straight or gay, crave love and intimacy. Without it, their lives can easily become less than human.

Those who oppose gay unions . . . know that they are condemning gay people to a life of marginalisation, at the very least. But that is the object of this distasteful political exercise. They want a world they can control, where conventional marriage is the only recognised form of sexual relationship.

It is disingenuous of church leaders to condemn homophobia in the same breath as they condemn same-sex unions. . . . Their claim that the Bible condemns all gay sex, giving them no option but to condemn as well, is scarcely convincing. Not all biblical scholars agree that the Bible condemns the modern phenomenon of committed, long-lasting homosexual relationships - but even if it did, the Bible condemns many things with far greater insistence and ferocity.

For instance, it condemns lending money for interest . . . The Bible [also] condemns greed, character assassination, and judgementalism, and particularly pertinent for contemporary Australia, it is uncompromising in its condemnation of those who reject the stranger in need at our gates, or who allow any harm to be done to children.

Why then are we not seeing greater political division over the treatment of asylum seekers and their children in detention, or even over corporate greed, instead of cynical "wedge politics" over gay couples?

And why aren't Anglican Church leaders uniting to condemn these ancient sins so rampant in the modern world, instead of indulging in an unedifying struggle to return gay people to the closet?

Sadly, the answers are only too plain. Because of continuing community homophobia, gay people remain an easy pawn in the political power games of politicians and bishops alike. It is high time the bluff of these community "leaders" was called.

Newly elected Archbishop and maori-rights advocate Whakahuihui Vercoe of New Zealand has envisaged a world without homosexuality. However, only a month ago the General Synod of The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia unanimously approved a statement in which it said that it

acknowledges and honours the contribution that gay and lesbian Anglicans make to the life and ministry of our Church.

Th Synod called for a new study that would involve listening actively to the opinions of gays and lesbians, as a prelude to making recommendations.For a sane and sensible New Zealand perspective, read Bishop Richard Randerson's article in the New Zealand Herald of 9 June 04. Bishop Randerson is dean of Holy Trinity Cathedral and Assistant Bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Auckland.Clive Aspin, head of a Maori sexuality research project at Auckland University says that Archbishop Vercoe's comments threaten to do long-term and permanent damage to youngsters grappling with sexuality. (see article). Researcher Dr Leonie Pihama rejected a claim by Richard Randerson that most Maori would probably find homosexuality culturally very difficult. "Such statements are colonial and Victorian views that merely seek to oppress certain sectors of society and have no basis in tikanga Maori. As far as we can see, there is no cultural basis for a hatred of a group of people in the community." She called the Archbishops's vision of a world without gays as "holocaustic". Maori author Witi Ihimaera called for his resignation. "[H]e needs to get pastoral advice - his comments are very, very punitive, they are very patriarchal, very homophobic and very sexist."Auckland University theological lecturer and Anglican priest, Philip Culbertson, said the archbishop's comments were a breach of a church prohibition against homophobic statements.

As a superb advocate for Australia's environment, sometime rager against the machine, and President of the Australian Conservation Foundation (he resigned yesterday), why does Dr Peter Garrett, AM want to be member of Parliament for the Australian Labor Party? As Australian Greens Senator Bob Brown put it a couple of days ago

Peter Garrett has an enormous contribution yet to make to Australia's future. However, I think that Labor politics would stymie that contribution. The prospect of Peter being inside the party that, for example, is woodchipping Tasmania's ancient forests at the greatest rate in history, concerns me for Peter's sake. I and many fellow Greens are building politics outside the old politics because, when it comes to ecological wisdom or social equity, they have long since gone off track and will not reform.

It is a question of making conflicts more visible, of making them more essential than mere confrontations of interests or mere institutional immobility. Out of these conflicts, these confrontations, a new power relation must emerge whose first temporary expression will be a reform. If at the base there has not been the work of thought upon itself and if, in fact, modes of thought, that is to say modes of action, have not been altered, whatever the project for reform, we know that it will be swamped, digested by modes of behaviour and institutions that will always be the same.

- Michael Foucault, Politics, philosophy, culture (New York: Routledge, 1990), 156.

James and I recently began attending St. Philip's Anglican Church in the suburb of O'Connor, near to our home. As the church website reports, this year's Paschal [Easter] Candle was a large one, to fit a new candle holder. It was installed on Easter morning. As is traditional, it was lit during all services until Ascension Day and then again for several hours on Pentecost day. That evening, the Minister came into the church and discovered the exploded remains of the candle. Curious.

I have become interested in issues of well being, spirituality and health for older gay and lesbian people. Quite a lot of work has been done on these things outside Australia, in, for example:
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
LGBT Aging Project of Massachusetts
SAGE: Seniors Action in a Gay Environment, New York and elsewhere
Lavender Seniors of the East Bay
New Leaf Outreach to Seniors, San Francisco
Spectrum Centre, San Anselmo
The Age Concern's Opening Doors, United Kingdom
. . . and many more
A Gay and Lesbian Health Resource Unit is being set up now in Melbourne's La Trobe University, in the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society. The Unit will be a clearinghouse for gay and lesbian health research and resources and is to provide information and training in GLBTI health and wellbeing issues for health care providers (including aged care services) in Victoria.The Unit was created following a recommendation of the Victorian State Government's Ministerial Advisory Committee on Gay and Lesbian Health (MACGLH). In July 2003, the Committee released an action plan, Health and sexual diversity: a health and wellbeing action plan for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex (GLBTI) Victorians. The plan notes the following concerns for older GLBTI people in particular:obstacles to maintaining friendship, family and social networks for older GLBTI people who come out later in life and those GLBTI people living in rural communities;
ageism within GLBTI and mainstream communities, including exclusion from GLBTI social networks and invisibility within mainstream social networks;
issues associated with caring for older partners, relatives and friends;
invisibility within the (community and residential) aged care sector in relation to service provision and general acknowledgement and positive representation of the needs of older GLBTI people; and
discrimination in institutionalised aged care and other forms of service provision that older GLBTI people access.

This year, the ALSO Foundation published About Time!: GLBT Seniors ALSO Matter, prepared by Heather Birch, edited by Dr Daryl Higgins (Melbourne, 2004). ISBN 0-9580887-2-1. It can be downloaded from this page.A needs assessment and a community consultation by the Foundation's Older Persons Project have shown key needs to be: home-based community services; GLBT-sensitive residential aged care; and loneliness and social isolation. About Time! is a plan of suggested actions that will allow further action to grow. It is the latest in a number of research and action activities to advance the situation of GLBT seniors. ALSO's strategic plan gives background on matters of concern for GLBT seniors and a summary of work thus far in its Older Persons Project. The plan identifies 32 opportunities for action under headings of (1) Facilitation; (2) Advocacy (3) Education and Consultation; (4) Care and Support; and (5) Social Support. An 'implementation plan' will follow, with details about the 'who, how and when'. GLBT seniors have needs in common with all seniors, But they also have specific problems when seeking health, housing, community, and aged care services. Too often there is an assumption of heterosexuality and gender identity.Since 1981, the ALSO Foundation and the ALSO Care and Benevolent Society, Inc. have offered "supportive, benevolent and charitable services for the purpose of developing, fostering and maintaining an articulate and effective community of GLBT people" in its home state of Victoria. As its mission, the Foundation "is committed to securing legal and social acceptance of GLBT communities in Victoria and to assist members of our community to acquire the skills and capacity to achieve equality and justice on their terms."

I did not realise until too late this year that 29 May is Sandakan Day, commemorating allied prisoners of war who died in the notorious forced marches that left from that town in 1945. The Australian Minister for Veterans Affairs has said that, "Of all the days that we, as Australians, set aside to remember and honour the sacrifice of our sons and daughters in the service of our nation, this day stands alone."I learned of the tragedy and savagery of the death marches when I lived in Sabah (formerly North Borneo) for two years in the '70's. I worked briefly in Sandakan and also visited Ranau, the destination of the marches. Ranau was a small trading own that now benefits from tourism in the Kinabalu National Park. Sandakan is a fine town and until the end of World War 2 was the capital of the North Borneo territory. It is sad that its name is associated with such ghastly events.On29 May 1945, about 530 Australian and British prisoners of war left the Sandakan PoW camp in Borneo, on a forced march to Ranau. They were the second group of prisoners to be moved - another 455 had marched out in January as the Japanese emptied the camp ahead of the expected Allied landing on Borneo. Many died of starvation and illness. Others were killed because they could not keep up. Of the 530 men who left Sandakan, 142 Australians and 41 British prisoners reached Ranau. They found only six men left of the 455 who had been sent out to Ranau four months earlier. The prisoners were put to work and died at the rate of seven a day.The Sandakan camp was burned and the remaining prisoners were killed or left to die. The last prisoner at Sandakan was executed on the 15th of August 1945, the day that Japan surrendered. The last Australians at Ranau were killed 12 days after the war had ended. Only six Australians survived the death marches, all of them by escaping. More than 2000 Australian and British Prisoners of War held at Sandakan had died in all. A memorial park was created built in Sandakan in 1999 on the on the site of the former prison camp. There has long a memorial near at Kundasang near Ranau, near to Mount Kinabalu (pic). I was moved by my visit there in 1977, but then the place was rather remote and in need of care. I have always hoped that something else might be done to remember the events of 1945.Next year I plan to attend the Sandakan Day ceremonies at the Australian War Memorial here in Canberra.

Already the fallout begins from the Anglican Church of Canada's decisions on same-sex relationships. Anglican Journal reports that nine bishops of the Church have declared that its General Synod was wrong to approve a statement that "affirms the integrity and sanctity of committed, adult same-sex relationships."

In recent days the General Synod has made a number of contradictory decisions which may be causing confusion in the church. On the one hand, the synod has deferred a decision concerning the blessing of same-sex unions for three years in order to explore whether such ceremonies would be a matter of doctrine. This consideration will need to be engaged by all 34 synods of the Anglican Church of Canada. On the other hand the Synod appears to have pre-empted this work by summarily expressing the opinion that it affirms the 'sanctity' of committed adult same-sex relationships. . . . We urge Anglicans across Canada distressed by this expression of opinion not to despair and urge them to take their full part in the diocesan and provincial synods which will contribute to a decision of whether this is a doctrinal matter.

Primate-elect Andrew Hutchison said he was "very disappointed to hear that kind of statement because it speaks of division." "That's very sad," he told Anglican Journal. "I think the effect will be to reinforce division within the church. I'm just terribly sorry we couldn't settle the issue here."
Earlier, after the decision to defer the question of same-sex blessings, Archbishop Hutchinson had said, ". . . this particular synod is surrounded by a lot of prayer right across this land and therefore, I trust the movement of the Spirit within this synod and will abide by the decision. I'm grateful for what's happened. I still hold a personal hope that the church will send a very positive message to same-sex sex partners. But the Synod has spoken. I trust that."In a statement of his own, the Archbishop of Canterbury has welcomed the Canadians' deferal of the question of same-sex blessings until 2007.

The decision to defer the question of the right of dioceses over same sex blessings offers hope for the continuing collegiality of the Anglican Communion. It is important that the Canadian church has held back from a structural shift that would have run counter to the pleas and wishes of the Primates' meeting last Autumn and of so many around the Communion. In doing so, it has avoided complicating still further the work of the Lambeth Commission.

Archbishop Drexel Gomez has issued "Statement to faithful Canadian Anglicans", written writing on behalf of a 'Theological Consultation' in Nassau, 3 June, 2004.

We are sad . . . that the General Synod of the ACC has passed an amendment to resolution A-134 which has the effect of negating the deferral of paragraph 2 to the Primates' Theological Committee. In our view, the amendment is much more serious than even the original form of the motion which did not describe the nature of same-sex unions.

The amendment goes much further than the original motion in employing expressions which Scripture uses to describe marriage (Eph 5:25-33). In accordance with Scripture, your own Prayer Book uses this language in its marriage service. It is completely unacceptable to Bible believing orthodox Christians that same-sex unions are described as "holy." Such language is reserved for marriage alone.

The attempt to give "committed adult same sex relationships" the same theological stature as marriage exacerbates the crisis in the communion and will reap devastating consequences.

And so it goes on, and on, and on. A senior theology professor here in Canberra quite seriously told me recently that debate on homosexuality and Christian faith would continue until the end of the twenty-first century at least.

The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada has affirmed "the integrity and sanctity of committed adult same-sex relationships." A resolution passed the previous day had deferred a decision on 'blessing' of same-sex relationships. The Synod resolved to:

1. Affirm that, even in the face of deeply held convictions about whether the blessing of committed same-sex unions is contrary to the doctrine and teaching of the Anglican Church of Canada, we recognize that through our baptism we are members one of another in Christ Jesus, and we commit ourselves to strive for that communion into which Christ continually calls us;

2 [postponed to 2007]

3. Affirm the crucial value of continued respectful dialogue and study of biblical, theological, liturgical, pastoral, scientific, psychological and social aspects of human sexuality; and call upon all bishops, clergy and lay leaders to be instrumental in seeing that dialogue and study continue intentionally involving gay and lesbian persons;

4. Affirm the principle of respect for the way in which the dialogue and study may be taking place, or might take place, in Indigenous and various other communities within our church in a manner consistent with their cultures and traditions; and

5. Affirm that the Anglican Church is a church for all the baptized and is committed to taking such actions as are necessary to maintain and serve our fellowship and unity in Christ, request the House of Bishop to continue its work on the provision of adequate episcopal oversight and pastoral care for all, regardless of the perspective from which they view the blessing of committed same-sex relationships.

The Synod decided to defer consideration of section 2 until its 2007 meeting. Section 2 says "Affirm the authority and jurisdiction of any diocesan synod, with the concurrence of its bishop, to authorize the blessing of committed same-sex unions;" It also decided, "to request the Primate to ask the Primates' Theological Commission to review "whether the blessing of same-sex unions is a matter of doctrine."Later, the Canadian Anglicans added a section that

"6 .affirms the integrity and sanctity of committed adult same-sex relationships.

Is there is much difference between 'affirmation' (which has been given by the Canadian Synod) and 'blessings' (which have been denied for the time being)? Except to say that 'blessings' are public ceremonies in a church service. If a relationship has integrity and sanctity, why can't it be blessed? However, the Canadian church is well ahead of the Australia church on all this. Differences between Australia's evangelical, anglo-catholic and other dioceses are so strong that a forced vote on same-sex relationships would rip the Australian church apart - surely something to avoid. There are still several dioceses that will not ordain women as priests - including the largest, Sydney.

In Parliament yesterday, Labor moved to have the Government bring on its promised law to provide equal superannuation benefits to same-sex couples. Government members voted against the motion - supposedly against their own policy. Thus Labor complains that although the Government is acting with haste on marriages, it is delaying access to superannuation rights for same-sex couples. Labor's spokesperson says that, "Same sex couples are entitled to ask if the Government's package is for real and when the Government will deliver on their promise to reform superannuation laws." This is the text of the Labor motion:

Ms Roxon moved:
That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would require: (1) the Member for Berowra [the Attorney General, Mr Ruddock] to present forthwith a Bill to remove discrimination under Commonwealth law in respect of the superannuation entitlements of same sex couples; and (2) debate continuing immediately on the Bill and taking priority over all other business until the consideration by the House of all stages of the Bill has been concluded.

Here Labor is being too clever by half, as there is no way the Government could allow this badly worded motion to proceed unless the Bill were drafted, printed and actually ready for presentation by the Attorney-General there and then.

Greens Member of Parliament Michael Organ has written to members of the Labor party who during George W Bush's visit to Australia, signed a letter opposing the Iraq war. He asks them to vote against the Government's proposals to ban same sex marriage. In a press release he says:

This is an issue of principle that the Australian Labor Party should oppose. It is clear that Howard wants to discriminate against people because of their sexuality, but I can't believe everyone in the ALP does as well. Whether they choose to oppose these laws with me or not will be a simple test that they cannot fail. It is appropriate to approach everyone in the ALP who had the courage to oppose George W Bush when he came here, because like invading Iraq, these discriminatory alarmist same sex marriage laws also originated in the White House. Crunch time is coming - the ALP must oppose these unnecessary, discriminatory and homophobic laws. I look forward to their reply.

Greens Senator Bob Brown has criticised Labor's decision to support the Howard government's legislation to outlaw same-sex marriage as "politics over principle". There is little love lost between the Greens and either the conservative Government or the Labor opposition - at least on this issue!

Falling in line with Prime Minister Howard's view of same-sex marriage is failing not just the gay and lesbian communities of Australia but the huge section of the Australian community which supports equality before the law for all Australians. It's a case of putting pragmatism as assessed by Labor ahead of its own principle of non-discrimination.

Labor says that in government it will remove discrimination in Commonwealth legislation on the basis of sexuality yet it has decided to back the Howard amendments that cut right across this commitment. This is John Howard aping US President Bush and Opposition leader Mark Latham is joining the line.

The Greens support equality before the law and in defence of this principle we will oppose the government's legislation and seek to refer it to a Senate inquiry.

Of the Australian political parties represented in Parliament, the Greens have by far the best policy concerning Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex people. This is their official summary of a larger policy document:

Diversity, Respect, EqualitySummary of Australian Greens policy concerning Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex People, Aug 2001

Diversity. The Australian Greens believe that the acceptance and celebration of diversity, including sexuality and gender diversity, is essential for genuine social justice and equality. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people are an important, valuable part of this diversity and Australia must cherish their significant contributions.

Respect. The Australian Greens are committed to actively enhance the status of LGBTI people at all times and will speak out at every opportunity against prejudice, fear and hatred of LGBTI people. We work to end harassment, abuse, vilification, stigmatisation, discrimination, disadvantage or exploitation because a person is LGBTI or perceived to be.

Equality. The Australian Greens will work to amend all legislation to actively recognise LGBTI people and remove language that discriminates against LGBTI people, including heterosexist or inappropriate gender-specific references. We will propose the legalisation of marriage and de facto relationships between two people irrespective of their sex and gender identity and achieve the equal treatment of all such relationships in law and government policy.

Labor Party Senator Penny Wong is Australia's first Asian-born female senator, but has now spoken out as a lesbian and in support of rights for same-sex couples to marry and adopt children.
Senator Wong publicly accepted her party's decision to agreed the Government's proposal to ban gay marriage, arguing that removing other forms of legal discrimination was the most significant issue. But in the party Caucus meeting yesterday she called for gay rights as a matter of social justice.
Senator Wong told The Australian yesterday that while she had never hidden her sexuality, she did not believe her personal life was relevant to her abhorrence of the Prime Minister's attack on gays.
"They have a view that you can determine parenting solely on the basis of your sexual orientation. I think there are good and bad parents in all groups of society, and we all do the best we can with children. I don't think sexuality is the critical issue. It's an issue about fairness and we accept now in Australia that we don't discriminate against people on the basis of their race or their class. I'm sure many people in the community, both gay and heterosexual, would find the targeting of gays and lesbians to be unacceptable.
The newspaper says that Senator Wong's decision to "stand up and be counted" was hailed as inspiring by Labor Party colleagues.

Greens Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, Lee Rhiannon, has given notice of a private member's bill to change NSW anti-discrimination law. The Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 of New South Wales includes exemptions for "private educational authorities" that allow Christian schools and theological colleges to discriminate in who they employ. In the Anti-Discrimination Amendment (Equality in Education and Employment) Bill 2004 the Greens seek to remove these exemptions so that Christian schools and theological colleges would be required to employ people and enrol students irrespective of disability, responsibilities as a carer, age, gender, transgender status, marital status and homosexuality. The text of the proposed Bill is available at www.lee.greens.org.au/campaigns/LGBTI/equality.pdf. This article describes church concerns in response.

For the sake of completeness, I guess I should also report that The Australian Democrats have welcomed Labor support of a Senate inquiry on the Government's proposals. Australian Democrat Senator Brian Greig, says the issue is not a simple one, but deeply effects peoples lives and must not be rushed through as a cynical election wedge in the heat of a federal campaign.

"It is appalling that the Government would seek to use the lives of gay and lesbian people and their children as a ticking bomb in the middle of an election campaign. There are very important Constitutional and international treaty issues to consider, but more importantly, the parliament needs to examine the consequences of denying same-sex couples and their children formal legal recognition.. . . . robbing gay and lesbian couples of the right to marry, means discrimination in many areas of Federal law will continue, and children being raised by same-sex couples will remain in legal limbo. It is critical that the parliament provides strong laws to best protect the interests of these children.
"A Senate inquiry could examine the consequences of the marriage ban, and provide recommendations to counteract the ongoing discrimination with acceptable alternatives. The lack of partnership laws means that gay and lesbian people continue to suffer unfair and unequal treatment in areas such as immigration access, taxation imposts, superannuation equity, veterans pensions, Medicare charges, Public service entitlements, defence force programs, industrial relations awards and conditions, aged care provisions and more. A Senate inquiry could also look at the problems of transgender and intersex people, created by the strict definitions of 'man and woman' in the Marriage Act.
"Australia is one of very few western countries that does not have national anti-discrimination laws for gay and lesbian people, or partnership laws for same-sex couples and their children. It is high time we addressed this."