SSM Plebiscite

[mateinone]

This is the crux of the matter as far as I'm concerned.
From my perspective, as a straight, happily married father and grandfather, I don't think that it's any of my business what relationships two consenting adults choose to enter into, so long as those relationships don't adversely affect any third person or society as a whole.
In that light I don't think that the public has the right that you speak of, and it should be noted that if not for the Howard government specifically changing the marriage act there would be no need for the current debate, which in my opinion is unnecessary, divisive, expensive and a great distraction from the far more important issues which should be at the centre of political debate in Australia.
I concede that some people will demand the right to interfere in the lives of others, that's always been the case but there's no justification for it as far as I'm concerned.

Ah, so by extension... You therefore agree that the public would have no right to a view on a marriage between siblings?
Or the right of a woman to marry two different men in a polygamous relationship?

Again.. bare with me. I am not saying that because someone supports Same Sex marriage by extension they support those. Not at all.
I am saying that because your answer is "I support marriage because I don't believe that people have a right to a view on relationships of 2 consenting adults".
That in turn must logically mean that you don't feel you have a right to an opinion in the circumstances I have outlined.
Otherwise there MUST be further personal reasons why one is acceptable and not another.

Your understanding of the changes made in 2004 are different than mine.
I don't believe that a same sex couple could marry in Australia. What happened was there were cases to have international same sex marriages recognised within Australia and the law was changed to prevent that.

That is somewhat different and changes to the Marriage Act needed to take place I believe for SSM to be registered in Australia.