GAY TRUTH

Australia: The NSW government has ­ordered an investigation into the Education Department’s launch of an official teaching resource that urges teachers to “de-­gender” their classroom language and promotes activities that encourage students to think about sexuality as “non-binary”, or existing on a continuum “like temperature or the weather”. Education Minister Adrian Piccoli yesterday ordered his ­department to withdraw the sexual and gender diversity ­resource for teachers, which ­appears to have been heavily based on the Safe Schools program. Alerted to its existence by  The Australian , he said he was “very angry” the resource had “got out”. “I have directed the ­department to take it down ­immediately and review the ­material and all links,” he said. “Safe Schools materials are only to be used strictly in accordance with the revised guidelines established by the federal ­government. I am furious this policy has not been adhered to and have demanded a full explanation...

There was confirmation from the Government this week that the long-awaited people’s vote on marriage is to be pushed back into next year. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Attorney General George Brandis had previously indicated their preference to hold it before Christmas. Australian Electoral Commission advice is that there is not enough time to organise another national poll to meet this timeline. The AEC had actually signalled this some weeks ago. But a leak from somewhere within the Government to a Sunday newspaper confirming that the Government agreed with this advice set the media in a frenzy. The story also contained details of a draft question. This was disappointing given that consultations with both sides of the debate about the plebiscite process and question has not yet been held . The Prime Minister’s office and senior ministers were quick to distance themselves from the story and stressed that Cabinet was yet to consider these issues. That’s code...