2 | THE CANBERRA REPORTER July 2017
WE SAY, YOU SAY
Oy! Oy! Are we forgetting something?
You still have a return match and
another big payday to consider!
PERSPECTIVE
By JESSICA ADELAN-LANGFORD
A conscience vote is the way to go
JUST recently senior Government
Minister Christopher Pyne was
recorded making statements at a
private gathering discussing the
issue of same-sex marriage.
He described he and his fellow
EDITORIAL
moderates as being in the “win-
ner’s circle” and that marriage
equality was going happen sooner
than everyone was expecting.
The current Government’s policy
on same-sex marriage is to take
the issue directly to the people, to
cast a plebiscite – a public vote.
Critics of the plebiscite argue that
AUSTRALIA’S school teacher-turned boxer Jeff Horn defeated the
Philippines’ Senator Manny Pacquiao to take the world welterweight it is a waste of money and that our
elected MPs should not shy away
boxing crown on July 2, 2017.
from their responsibility to legislate
Build-up to the 12-round title fight was something for the record
on the electorate’s behalf.
books.
Critics also argue that the
In Australia, Horn was perceived almost like Phar Lap reborn:
campaign against legalising
Newspapers splashed his figure on front pages; television pro-
same-sex marriage may lead to
grams couldn’t show enough of him.
the LGBTI community (Lesbian,
In the Philippines, the fight was another national event. Expatriates Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender and
across the world stood as one against the Australian challenger.
Intersex) being unfairly targeted by
Senator impeached
by a school teacher
A fanatic crowd of more than 50,000 packed Suncorp Stadium in
Brisbane to the watch the spectacle of blood-letting action as the
two gladiators stood toe-to-toe from go to whoa.
Following a unanimous - albeit controversial – decision that went
to Horn, one would have expected some robust debate over the
fight result, but that interest would gradually peeter out.
But no. The controversy continues. Social media rages with
contempt and abuse from both sides of the debate.
And why so?
Oh yes, did we mention a return match?
The fight contract stimpulates that, if Pacquiao lost, a return match
must take place, and if Horn won there would be no return match.
Well then, it makes good business sense to maintain the rage.
The fighters and their minders would stand to pocket roughly
another $15 million for the return match.
And we, the public here and elsewhere in the world, whether we
really understand the boxing game or not, stand to burn our
pockets out of, well, millions more.
offensive campaign material.
Conversely, supporters of the
plebiscite argue that the issue of
marriage equality is so personal
that the people should have a
direct say as to how we as a nation
should proceed.
Supporters also claim, that the
issue of same-sex marriage is not
as big as an issue as the LGBTI
community claim.
To put it simply, supporters argue
that the plebiscite is a means to
prove that the issue of marriage
equality is just a ‘fringe’ issue
being championed by rainbow flag
warriors.
After Pyne’s comments were
leaked, newspaper headlines were
dominated by concerns of Liberal
Party disunity and Pyne having to
backtrack to semi-apologise for his
comments.
In this writer’s opinion, the focus
was all wrong.
The focus should have been (and
still should be) on why the plebi-
scite is simply bad policy.
The p ublic need to be reminded
that the Government is not obliged
to legislate as per the results of
the plebiscite.
In short, the public may all say
‘yes’ to marriage equality and the
Government does not have to lift a
finger.
What a waste of time.
Personally, I’d prefer for our MPs
to be allowed a conscience vote
on marriage equality.
If the current Parliament doesn’t
pass marriage equality then the
electorate can pipe down until the
next election.
Better still, perhaps the electorate
can elect MPs in the next Parlia-
ment who will allow the LGBTI
community the same rights as the
rest of us.
One can only hope. n
CAUGHT ON CAMERA
A random street survey across the ACT on the question:
How often do you go out to eat,
and where would you usually go?
- Jaime K Pimentel, editor
SA ATING WIKA
Ulat ni ARNEL BASAS
Ang pagpapalaki
ng ating mga anak
Lubos ang kasiyahan ng mga
magulang kung nakikitang
matagumpay ang anak sa laran-
gan na kanilang tinatahak.
Nakakataba ito ng puso sa
harap ng mga kaibigan at ka-
pamilya.
Paano nga ba magpalaki ng
anak tungo sa matagumpay na
kinabukasan?
Masaya ang magulang pag
nakikitang masunurin ang anak.
Hinahalintulad ang kabaitang ito
sa pagkakaroon ng disiplina.
Sa Pilipinas ito ang nakagawian
at kinalakihan na pamamaraan
ng pagpapalaki ng anak.
Ang disiplina ay pinapairal sa
lahat ng aspeto ng buhay: sa
pag-aaral, sa gawaing bahay at
sa pakikipag-kapwa.
Subalit dito sa Australia maitu-
turing na kalabisan ito.
Ayon sa isang ulat, noong taong
2014-2015 mahigit 151,980 na
bata sa edad na 0-17 ang na-
katanggap ng proteksyon mula
sa abusong pisikal, emosyonal,
kapabayaan, pagkakalantad sa
abuso sa pamiliya at sekswal.
Maisasama ba ang disiplinang
pinapairal sa pamilyang Filipino-
Australian na abusong pisikal o
emosyonal?
Gayunpaman, kahit pa sa dami
ng batas at pinapayong pama-
maraan, marami pa ring bata
ang hindi pinapalad.
Paano ba piliin o timbangin
ng magulang ang ibat-ibang
pamamaraan ng pagpapalaki
ng anak?
Ito ang isang pagsubok na
hinaharap ng pamilyang Filipino-
Australian na sana malampasan
nila sa lalong madaling pana-
hon. n
ELIZABETH GARRETT
Melba
I eat out seven times a week
including lunch and dinner.
I usually go to Blue Ginger
Restaurant in Civic for lunches
or dine at the restaurants of
the Canberra Labor Club or
the Hellenic Club and the
Southern Cross Club. On
special occasions we go to the
pinoy Delikase Restaurant at
Nichols, the Ottoman Restau-
rant at Forest and the Bofins
Restaurant inside the ANU.n
LORENZO LARIOSA
Conder
GRACE LACHICA
Lyons
Once a week I eat with my bik-
ing mates and travel buddies
at the Vikings Lanyon Club for
fish and chips or Schnitzels in
Conder. It’s a good family and
barkadas restaurant; meals
are reasonable and kids love
getting a few tokens for the
games room. We also like
the food tripping at the Joe’s
Kitchen, a Thai Restaurant at
Waniassa; it’s cosy and ca-
sual, also good for family and
kids or barkadas. n
We eat out once a week. I
take the kids out for a date
usually at the food court at
Woden Plaza because there
are plenty of choices avail-
able to the little ones. Once a
month, we would have break-
fast at Ikea - there’s nothing
like cheap food and Swed-
ish meatballs. The hotdogs
and pizzas at Costco are a
favorite, too, if that qualifies as
eating out. n
PUBLISHER
THE CANBERRA REPORTER
(ABN 44149329419)
Editor-in-Chief
JAIME K PIMENTEL
Deputy
SALLY BARBER
Subeditor
VIOLI CALVERT
Cartoonist
MIGUEL CASTRO
Photojournalists
DENNIS BENEDICTOS
MARILIE BOMEDIANO
GERRY MUSA
Editors
MARILIE BOMEDIANO / News & Features
ARNALDO DE LEON / Motoring Advertising
ROY RAMIREZ / Manager
JOSIE MUSA / Representative
Columnists
JESSICA ADELAN-LANGFORD
ARNEL BASAS Legal Counsel
LINDA GERONIMO SANTOS
Correspondents
VIRGINIA CABUYADAO
BIANCA MONTIEL
Printer
New Age Printing,
Rydalmere NSW
Waiver: Opinions expressed
by writers do not necessarily
belong to the publisher.