http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/alex-greenwich/ Alex Greenwich MP is the Independent member for Sydney in the NSW Legislative Assembly and the Chairperson of Australian Marriage Equality. He is one of Samesame’s 25 most influential Gay and Lesbian Australians. As part of AME, Alex has successfully lobbied the ABS to count same-sex marriages in the census, facilitated over 45,000 submissions to be made to the senate enquiry into same-sex marriage, got support from Corporate Australia and Unions for marriage equality, and has continuously engaged with politicians on the issue. en Copyright 2013 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/everyone-should-have-the-right-to-work-in-a-tuck-shop/ Dear Prime Minister, Senator Penny Wong is one of Australia’s strongest Finance Ministers, yet under the proposed federal anti-discrimination bill, she could be fired from a tuck-shop in a religiously affiliated school. Despite being Prime Minister, as a declared atheist, a school could ban you from providing leadership training to young girls. A church-run hospital in an isolated indigenous community could reject the expert knowledge of former AMA President Prof. Kerryn Phelps. Not only does discrimination directly affect those discriminated against, it affects entire communities. Religiously affiliated service providers are able to deny a community the best possible teachers, doctors, nurses, and counsellors, on grounds totally unrelated to to their ability to perform the job. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Alex Greenwich) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/everyone-should-have-the-right-to-work-in-a-tuck-shop/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/everyone-should-have-the-right-to-work-in-a-tuck-shop/#item10437 Mon, 21 Jan 2013 19:50:34 +0000 Alex Greenwich | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/cruel-treatment-of-marriage-refugees-to-end/ On February 1 the Federal Government will lift its ban on Australian same-sex partners receiving the documents they need to marry in other countries where same-sex marriage is allowed. To her great credit, Attorney-General, Nicola Roxon, has asked the Department of Foreign Affairs to start issuing certificates of no-impediment to marriage (CNIs) to same-sex couples marrying overseas on the same basis as they are now issued to heterosexual couples. A CNI is required by many foreign governments as proof the foreigner who wants to marry in their country is of marriageable age and isn’t already married where they come from.  feedback@thepunch.com.au (Alex Greenwich) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/cruel-treatment-of-marriage-refugees-to-end/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/cruel-treatment-of-marriage-refugees-to-end/#item7626 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:50:54 +0000 Alex Greenwich | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/give-the-coalition-time-and-theyll-vote-for-gay-marriage/ Marriage equality is too serious an issue to play political games with and too important an issue to be set up to fail. This is why supporters of the reform want calm heads to prevail and for the bill to be introduced at the right time. It’s important the Labor Party approaches this reform strategically and doesn’t jump the gun. Too many people within Labor have worked too hard to change the ALP’s policy platform for it all to be squandered on a premature vote. Because the ALP has allowed a conscience vote for its MPs, reform has very little chance unless the Coalition allows a conscience vote too. Coalition leader Tony Abbott has so far ruled out a conscience vote, but there is growing support within the Coalition for a different, fairer approach. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Alex Greenwich) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/give-the-coalition-time-and-theyll-vote-for-gay-marriage/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/give-the-coalition-time-and-theyll-vote-for-gay-marriage/#item7469 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 19:50:22 +0000 Alex Greenwich | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/whats-that-gillards-giving-into-gay-marriage/ Reports out this morning suggest Julia Gillard’s staunch opposition to marriage equality is starting to give way. According to senior sources within the Labor Party the pressure on the Prime Minister has grown so great that she is planning to announce support for a conscience vote on marriage equality as early as next week. Ms Gillard has proudly fronted the anti-equality campaign and declared her opposition to same-sex marriage at every opportunity. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Alex Greenwich) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/whats-that-gillards-giving-into-gay-marriage/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/whats-that-gillards-giving-into-gay-marriage/#item6929 Fri, 14 Oct 2011 04:00:58 +0000 Alex Greenwich | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/hey-jim-wallace-theyre-not-devils-down-in-tassie/ Dear Jim, Re: Welcome to the ‘Homosexual Lobby’ and today’s vote on same-sex marriage in Tasmania.  UPDATE: The historic motion backing same-sex marriage has been passed by the Tasmanian House of Assembly, the Mercury reports. Over the past few months you have either said, tweeted or endorsed the following: “Anzacs didn’t die for gay marriage”, “the global gay Gestapo…is brainwashing people”, “gay marriage will disrupt the natural order”, “gay marriage will lead to paedophiles marrying children”, and of course you came to Miranda Devine’s defence when she linked the London riots to Senator Penny Wong and her partner expecting a child. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Alex Greenwich) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/hey-jim-wallace-theyre-not-devils-down-in-tassie/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/hey-jim-wallace-theyre-not-devils-down-in-tassie/#item6760 Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:55:43 +0000 Alex Greenwich | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/theyre-getting-hitched-in-the-city-that-never-sleeps/ This week in New York the hottest ticket in town is not the latest Broadway musical or the opening of hip new restaurant, it’s the Marriage Bureau. So many same-sex couples have been waiting for the day when they can say “I do” that a lottery system has had to be introduced to deal with the amount of weddings set to take place. This marriage boom is much needed in a state that has 50,000 divorces a year, almost 1000 a week! The gays will be combating this figure over the coming months with thousands upon thousands of loving and committed couples set to legalise their love. Marriage is an institution that so many straight couples have taken for granted for so long, and it is now being strengthened by the same-sex couples who fought to be a part of it. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Alex Greenwich) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/theyre-getting-hitched-in-the-city-that-never-sleeps/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/theyre-getting-hitched-in-the-city-that-never-sleeps/#item6360 Mon, 25 Jul 2011 19:35:13 +0000 Alex Greenwich | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/even-the-windsors-recognise-same-sex-marriage/ Love makes a marriage, even a Royal one. This is the simple and powerful message of the upcoming wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, one that’s relevant to Australia’s same-sex marriage debate. Once royal weddings were about dynastic alliances. That began to change in the twentieth century, but still there were limits on who a royal married, famously illustrated by the abdication of Edward VIII to marry a divorcee. As recently as the marriage of William’s father, Charles, to Lady Di, it was inconceivable that an heir to the throne would marry outside the aristocracy or have a relationship with his fiancé prior to the wedding. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Alex Greenwich) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/even-the-windsors-recognise-same-sex-marriage/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/even-the-windsors-recognise-same-sex-marriage/#item5711 Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:35:08 +0000 Alex Greenwich | Author bios | The Punch