Margaret Court’s comments on gay marriage the last straw

‘Margaret Court’s comments were as outrageous as they were stupid’. Picture: Julie Kiriacoudis

To say that I am sick and tired of the debate on marriage equality would be an understatement. If I had a dollar for every column inch or minute of airtime written and spoken on the subject I would be rivalling the Pratts and the Triguboffs on the rich list.

The pathetic blow-up this week over Margaret Court’s comments was the last straw. Both sides have become so obsessed and hysterical over not just their case but in attempts to stop any alternative view being put.

In my view, Court’s comments this week in criticising both Qantas and its CEO Alan Joyce for entering the debate in favour of marriage equality was as outrageous as it was stupid. Why should Joyce not have the right to argue strongly for what he believes in? Why should the Qantas board not seek to back up Joyce who has turned the company’s fortunes around over five years? Surely in a democracy which is supposed to believe in free speech, this should be applauded not rubbished. Joyce is an openly gay man and he is entitled to campaign for something close to his heart.

Court herself is deeply conservative. She is way out on one end of the Liberal Party right, seeming to be even further out than her father-in-law, former West Australian Premier Charles Court. She is also way out there with her own brand of happy clapping born again Christianity which makes Brian Houston and his Hillsong Church look like a bunch of pikers. Again, she has every right to hold her personal views but I do query her judgment in making that statement last week. Why can’t both sides allow an intelligent debate without holding out for personal rants against their opponents?

The gay lobby is far from innocent in all this, mind you. Remember not so long ago that a group of them pressured the Mercure Hotel at Sydney airport into cancelling the letting of a meeting room to those who wanted to co-ordinate a campaign against marriage equality. You must think your case is pretty weak if you try to prevent any alternative view being put. Both sides of this debate have no concept of courtesy or democracy.

Calls for Margaret Court Arena to be renamed were a massive over reaction. She was undoubtedly the best exponent of woman’s tennis in our nation’s history and would have to be up there in discussions about the best the world has ever seen. Her insensitivity cannot be considered grounds for wiping out the thoroughly warranted honour of having the venue names after her.

This week, sadly for me personally, produced the need for someone like me to admit error when it comes to politics. I have publicly sided with Malcolm Turnbull and the government on holding a referendum on this question. As an unabashed supporter of marriage equality, I naively believed that a referendum could be conducted in a civil manner. Both sides of this debate have now demonstrated such a lack of civility that this Utopian dream is finished before it began.

The Parliament should deal with this promptly. Every pollie knows where he or she stands on the issue. Get it over with Prime Minister — do it now!