Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will take this opportunity to table two petitions regarding matters of great concern to my constituents. Firstly, I have a petition from the parish of the All Saints Catholic Church in Greenwood, a suburb within the electorate of Cowan. That petition relates to the current national debate surrounding gay marriage. I say at the outset that the coalition has a position on this issue, and that is to stand by the current definition of marriage being a convention, an institution, between a man and a woman. I also stand by that position wholeheartedly. I know that many, indeed perhaps the majority, on the other side do not agree with that and instead wish to allow persons of the same sex to marry. I know that the fringe party of Australian politics, the Greens, also wish to undermine the standing and the strength of the family unit with this and other social engineering measures.

On Saturday, 5 February, I visited the All Saints church and met with Michael and Mary Rose; Father Vinh, the parish priest; Sharren Cordina and many other members of the parish. Michael handed me a petition of over 650 names. I note that those who signed it asked me, as the federal MP for Cowan, to ‘protect the unique institution of marriage as traditionally understood and actually lived as the complementary love between a man and a woman’.

It is right that the parliament takes note of this document and, most of all, takes note of its intent to support the institution of marriage, as it is rightly defined. I seek leave to table this document.

Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I understand that the document will be forwarded to the Petitions Committee for consideration and will be accepted subject to confirmation by the committee that it conforms with the standing orders.

Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The petition and the other points of contact that I have had as the member for Cowan have been overwhelmingly supportive of the maintenance of the definition of marriage. I know that that comes as a great disappointment to many in this place, including some on the cross benches. I admit that I have had 22 constituents who have contacted me in favour of allowing gay marriage. I have had almost 400 against any change. In light of those figures, when I read emails or comments from some who support gay marriage saying that the majority of Australians are on their side I would say that the evidence is clearly against that position.

I thank the members of the All Saints Catholic Church in Greenwood for presenting this petition to me and I say to them that I will do everything in my power to ‘protect the unique institution of marriage as traditionally understood and actually lived as the complementary love between a man and a woman’.

I move to a different topic and take this opportunity today to speak again of the need for improved Australia Post services in the Cowan Electorate. I do so because I have another petition, which relates to the ongoing disappointment with Australia Post services in Cowan. Although I have personally had some success with improvements in Australia Post services in the past, with street posting boxes being installed in Banksia Grove and in Ashby, it is clear that the people of Darch, Landsdale and Madeley believe that services remain inadequate for them. I know Australia Post are aware of this problem because I have made them aware. Australia Post shops are being sought for Landsdale and Darch.

Last year Australia Post replied to my representations and said that they believe services are appropriate in the area and that they will continue to monitor demand. That is very interesting. I hope that they being authentic, because today I seek leave to table an in-order petition from Mr Steven Butler asking for the establishment of an Australia Post shop in the Darch Plaza shopping centre.

This petition is substantial. It is not just a couple of pages of names of friends helping out a mate with a petition. It is a significant statement. It is a petition of thousands of local people saying that they want better services—almost 2,500 local people saying, ‘Here is a problem and here is the solution that is required.’

To state it plainly and clearly, this petition means that 2,465 local people are saying to Australia Post that their services are inadequate and that there is overwhelming demand for an Australia Post shop. The petition, in due course, will go to the minister and I ask the minister to have Australia Post initiate a tender process for a shop facility in the area. I thank the members of my community for both these petitions, for their commitment to good causes and for their dedication to doing the right thing within the electorate of Cowan. I am therefore pleased to present this petition.

The petition read as follows—

To the Honourable, the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives

This petition of certain citizens of Australia draws to the attention of the house:

The need for an Australia Post Shop to be established at the Darch Plaza Shopping Centre. Darch is a suburb of more than1,500 homes. The establishment of a Post Shop in Darch will meet the needs of all local residents and from nearby suburbs such as Lansdale which will in the near future more than double in size to more than 3,000 homes.

We therefore ask the house to:

Initiate such actions as to ensure the immediate establishment of an Australia Post Shop at the Darch Plaza Shopping centre. The establishment of a Post Shop in Darch will then provide the provision of services and Australia Post products for the residents of the significant suburb of Darch who seek such services and products in one location.

from 2,465 citizens

Petition received.