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| Cory Bernardi: No campaign against same-sex marriage was 'extraordinary success' | Cory Bernardi: No campaign against same-sex marriage was 'extraordinary success' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The campaign against same-sex marriage in Australia was an “extraordinary success” despite losing the national postal survey, the crossbench senator Cory Bernardi has said. | |
| The leader of the Australian Conservatives said the campaign convinced about 40% of participants to vote no despite competing with a “ten-year campaign” by marriage equality supporters who enjoyed “tens of millions of dollars” in funding. | The leader of the Australian Conservatives said the campaign convinced about 40% of participants to vote no despite competing with a “ten-year campaign” by marriage equality supporters who enjoyed “tens of millions of dollars” in funding. |
| “That is a fantastic start,” Bernardi told about 700 delegates at the Australian Christian Lobby’s national conference in Sydney on Saturday. | “That is a fantastic start,” Bernardi told about 700 delegates at the Australian Christian Lobby’s national conference in Sydney on Saturday. |
| “You have established an amazing base, you have some wonderful leaders, you have some extraordinary technology and you have it all in the palm of your hands.” | “You have established an amazing base, you have some wonderful leaders, you have some extraordinary technology and you have it all in the palm of your hands.” |
| Bernardi attempted to further rally the attendees, saying if only half the no voters elected “decent Senate candidates” at the next election there would be up to a dozen politicians in the upper house to drive change. | Bernardi attempted to further rally the attendees, saying if only half the no voters elected “decent Senate candidates” at the next election there would be up to a dozen politicians in the upper house to drive change. |
| “We can no longer be silent, we can no longer sit back and rely on prayer to change the course of earthly events,” he said. | “We can no longer be silent, we can no longer sit back and rely on prayer to change the course of earthly events,” he said. |
| “Prayer is important – never underestimate that. If you want to pray for things, pray for strength for those who are leading in this battle.” | “Prayer is important – never underestimate that. If you want to pray for things, pray for strength for those who are leading in this battle.” |
| Bernardi said he went into the process of changing the Marriage Act with “a degree of optimism”. | Bernardi said he went into the process of changing the Marriage Act with “a degree of optimism”. |
| But he also warned parliament was “tortured” – as illustrated this week when he moved a series of provocative motions including a failed attempt to oppose Medicare funding for gender-selective abortions. | But he also warned parliament was “tortured” – as illustrated this week when he moved a series of provocative motions including a failed attempt to oppose Medicare funding for gender-selective abortions. |
| That motion, Bernardi said, caused confusion as some senators left the room and others merely sat on the observers benches. | That motion, Bernardi said, caused confusion as some senators left the room and others merely sat on the observers benches. |
| “You’ve got a party of government effectively not knowing whether they’re Arthur or Martha on gender-selective abortions,” he said, drawing laughter and applause. | “You’ve got a party of government effectively not knowing whether they’re Arthur or Martha on gender-selective abortions,” he said, drawing laughter and applause. |
| “We need people in parliament who know whether they’re Arthur or Martha.” | “We need people in parliament who know whether they’re Arthur or Martha.” |