“Study after study, time and time again, shows that children benefit from having a father and mother. That is the foundation that marriage provides, and has provided for millennia…For our children's sake it needs to continue to do so.”
- Eric Abetz, Government Leader in the Senate and opponent of marriage equality
Well Eric, while I question the validity of these unsighted [and uncited] studies, along with your capacity for rational thought and human emotion, it is at least encouraging that a member of the Abbott government has finally shown some concern for children. Hopefully it rubs off on some of your fellow bigots in cabinet, particularly ministers Dutton, Morrison and Pyne.
Because study after study, time and time again, shows that detaining children for prolonged periods in remote shitholes on Nauru and Christmas Island and denying them access to basic healthcare, education and a safe environment results in extreme levels of physical, emotional, psychological and developmental distress.
Study after study shows that your government’s obsession with cutting welfare spending, in particular family benefits, single parent allowances, health and education has the biggest impact on children, 18% of whom already live in poverty in Australia.
Five years of studies produced the Gonski report, which made broad ranging recommendations that would have produced considerable benefits for school children, had Education minister and government clown-in-chief Christopher Pyne not ignored the report and pissed away the funding for it.
Not that I’ll be holding my breath waiting to see if things change, because study after study, time and time again, shows that this government doesn’t give a toss about children unless it gives them an excuse to deny people a basic human right.