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Calls to legalise polygamy in Australia rejected
Australian News.Net
Wednesday 25th June, 2008 (IANS)
Calls from two Islamic leaders to legalise polygamous marriages in Australia have been rejected by the government.
Citing polygamy as against the law, Attorney-General Robert McLelland told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC): 'There is absolutely no way that the government will recognise polygamist relationships. They are unlawful and they will remain as such.'
Islamic Friendship Association of Australia's Keysar Trad had said that polygamy exist in Australia and the government should legalise it to protect the rights of women.
Trad had told a Triple J radio programme that polygamists in Australia's Muslim community would like their relationships to be legalised as otherwise women were left in a vulnerable position in the case of the man's demise.
'If this woman has wilfully chosen to enter into this relationship and makes a lifelong commitment to this person to be married, it shouldn't matter. If it was a business and the business had four partners we'd recognise that, but why don't we recognise it when it comes to consensual relationships amongst adults?' Trad said.
Trad, who's mother was a third wife in a polygamous marriage overseas, said women admired, respected and supported each other in such relationships.
Polygamy is illegal in Australia and those practising it feel they are not accepted by society.
Sheikh Khalil Chami of the Islamic Welfare Centre in the Sydney suburb of Lakemba said on the radio show that he was asked to perform polygamous religious ceremonies on a regular basis and while he declined, other sheikhs did not.
'If you know, there is law that will help you, there is community that will help you. Why not? Why not change the law? Not an open door but in a way everyone will have control. It's a bit hard, very difficult, but unless we face it, how (do) we overcome it?' Chami asked.
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Comments on this story
Anonymous
06-27-08, 04:34 PM |
Why not for polygamy?
Always that woman can have the choice to married with more than one men. itsn´t fair?
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Anonymous
06-27-08, 04:35 PM |
Why not for polygamy?
Always that woman can have the choice to married with more than one men. itsn´t fair?
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Anonymous
06-25-08, 08:32 AM |
Calls to legalise polygamy in Australia rejected
Good for you Austrlia. we agree with your laws all the WAY.
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Kanji
06-25-08, 08:35 AM |
Good Australian laws
Good for you Australia we all agree & we also like you laws be strong...
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Nancy Mereska, Coordinator, Stop Polygamy in Canada
06-25-08, 11:18 AM |
Calls to legalise polygamy in Australia rejected
I read this story with great relief. My question: Have there been any arrests of polygamists in Australia? It seems many countries have laws outlawing the practise of polygamy, but little is done legally to stop it’s practice. Polygamy is also condemned in such international documents as CEDAW. I do not have a copy of your Charter of Rights and Freedoms. I hope you have one. Canada’s Charter guarantees equality to men and women alike. Polygamy demeans the status of women and children.
Nancy Mereska, Coordinator
Stop Polygamy in Canada
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fclelland
06-26-08, 01:43 AM |
Polygamy ridicules women and drains social assistance budgets
Polygamy brings with it emotional trauma of every kind and low self-esteem of a monumental scale. It teaches the unhealthy practice of leaning on the polygamist like a crutch.
A healthy society cannot be sustained when one person controls another person’s emotional health.
The polygamist life-style is totally impractical from governmental standpoints as well because if the polygamist becomes unemployed, the state must provide for, not only one wife and several children, but many wives and many children.
A healthy country cannot withstand ongoing, huge losses like that. It simply does not make sense.
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Mars
06-26-08, 12:44 PM |
Nancy Mereska, Coordinator, Stop Polygamy in Canada;88183:
I read this story with great relief. My question: Have there been any arrests of polygamists in Australia? It seems many countries have laws outlawing the practise of polygamy, but little is done legally to stop it’s practice. Polygamy is also condemned in such international documents as CEDAW. I do not have a copy of your Charter of Rights and Freedoms. I hope you have one. Canada’s Charter guarantees equality to men and women alike. Polygamy demeans the status of women and children.
Nancy Mereska, Coordinator
Stop Polygamy in Canada
Nancy, you don’t have a copy because we don’t have a Bill of Rights :( There is much debate as to whether Australia needs one to protect itself, but that is a different topic.
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fclelland-British Columbia, Canada
06-26-08, 01:50 AM |
Fumarase deficiency disease via polygamy
As a nurse I must tell you that fumarase deficiency disease is only known among polygamy sects via the gene pool.
It is a disease where most babies are born dead, or with half a brain; most do not survive.
Google fumarase deficiency for more information.
That too is a huge drain on the state, one which is completely preventable.
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Dave d
07-24-08, 11:17 AM |
Polygamy ? Who cares
I can’t understand the promotion of homosexuality and all its associated lifestyle whilst polygamy is condemned openly, surely if you accept homosexuality, polygamy is a walk in the park.
Surely consenting adults can do what they chose with their own bodies, thats how abortion clinics justify themselves right?
How could anyone seriously say some women sharing a man and father of kids is a bad thing, sounds like a great family unit to me,inbuilt protection and counselling and as for disease, that is stupid, it amazes me the level of stupidity re. polygamists, Good on you Trad for having the guts to speak up.
Polygamists are more moralistic by definition shame the australian people and government prefer immorality, and would persecute those men and women desiring to live in a contained ethical and moral way as opposed to open relationships.
The man who takes advantage is the one who doesn’t return, not the one who is there for the rest of your life.
And of course docs/govt/cops thinks that it is somehow child abuse? I would like to know how polygamy equates to child abuse, quite simply it doesn’t, and the government is over stepping its mark stating who can have sex with who, and who can raise children without fear of having them removed because of someone elses prejudiced and incorect opinion.
I am australian, non muslim and not a bigot or a hatemonger.
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