A frontier community advocate group opponent of Same Sex Marriage that had collected over 6000 signaturees petition to agains Safe School Program, the Australian Chinese for Families Association - has been circulating a controversial Chinese language pamhplet among the Chinese Australian community with the help of their team of volunteers.
The six-page Chinese language pamphlet, pitching the 'No' supporters as the "silent majority" and calling upon Chinese families to "think about your descendants and future generations" and say no to same sex marriage are the latest campaign materials accused being misleading for the same-sex marriage postal vote.
Tiernan Brady, Executive Director of the Equality Campaign said in a statement to SBS Mandarin, the people behind these ads are "deliberately resorting to misleading people".
"Migrant communities in Australia understand discrimination, our families and friends have experienced discrimination on the basis of our race, skin colour, and language. LGBTI people are in our community, they are our friends and family members, they face even more discrimination," said Francis Voon, Multicultural Outreach Coordinator.
"Many of us migrated to Australia for a better life”, the marriage equality advocate organisation said, “We all deserve to be treated fairly and justly by civil law in all aspects, including civil marriage law”
"Asian Australians were discriminated against by civil law through the White Australia policy, thankfully this was removed by the parliament of the time.
"Family is the most important thing to all Australians. Marriage equality is about joining families and strengthening family unity. Marriage equality creates more committed, stronger family bonds that will be protected by law.
"For the sake of our families and friends, we urge all multicultural communities in Australia to say YES in the postal survey," Francis Voon concluded.
Dr Pansy Lai, co-founder of the Australian Chinese for Families Association told SBS Mandarin that the first 10,000 copies of their say No flyers have already been snapped up, and they have ordered tens of thousands more, "we have had a very positive response to our flyer from the Australian Chinese community right across Australia."
The same-sex marriage postal survey campaign is set to being in earnest. (AAP) Source: AAP
With fears the debate could turn ugly, Labor will work with Finance Minister Mathias Cormann over the weekend to draft laws ensuring all campaign material is authorised and some limits are put on what can be said, after the High Court dismissed a challenge to the eight week national survey.
Shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus says the opposition agrees safeguard legislation needs to be put in place.
"Now the survey is well and truly on we want this campaign on both sides of the debate to be conducted with grace and kindness," he told ABC radio on Friday.
Cabinet minister Peter Dutton, who doesn't support same-sex marriage but will go along with the outcome of the vote, urged people to argue their cases respectfully.
"I think that's what most Australians would want," he told the Nine Network.
Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese says behaving disrespectfully doesn't advance either cause.
Depending on the outcome of the $112 million process, there could be a parliamentary vote before the end of the year.
- with AAP
