Christianity plays a relatively minor role in Australian politics. Instead, it takes the guise of a general cultural conservatism, as demonstrated by the same-sex marriage and school funding debates.
Although South Africa has taken steps to rid itself of the apartheid-era view of marriage as only heterosexual and monogamous, discrimination against religious marriages persist.
The Nationals are among the most politically pragmatic members of the Turnbull government.
Sam Mooy/AAP
Peter Dutton has advised Alan Joyce and other business executives who have written to Malcolm Turnbull urging action on same-sex marriage to “stick to their knitting”. It’s advice some in the government…
Labor's edge over the government in the polls has seen the party stay united. But it has not stopped speculation about whether frontbencher Anthony Albanese would be a better leader of the party.
John Watson, The Conversation; Wes Mountain, The Conversation, and Amanda Dunn, The Conversation
Brexit, Trump, terrorism, 18C, safe schools, the gay marriage plebiscite, a government with a wafer-thin majority and a fractious Senate: it has been quite a year in politics.
As it is, it’s a fairly safe bet that Malcolm Turnbull will never usher in a republic.
Paul Miller/AAP
As he joins the Australian Republican Movement at its 25th anniversary celebration on Saturday, Malcolm Turnbull will surely have a rueful thought for what might have been.
There is consistent high-level agreement with the proposition that ‘multiculturalism has been good for Australia’ across Scanlon Foundation surveys.
AAP/Paul Miller
Many in the government have clamoured for changes to be made to Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. Liberal backbencher Julian Leeser, however is not one of them.
The plebiscite has been defeated, but the fight to end discrimination against gay couples who want to marry will continue.
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Now that same-sex marriage will not be put to a national vote, it is up to the Prime Minister to ensure that marriage equality is written into law.
Western Australian Liberal Dean Smith broke ranks with his colleagues, opposing parliament outsourcing a decision on same-sex marriage.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
The Senate has put to the sword the ill-fated plebiscite, killed by a remarkable combination of supporters and opponents of changing the law to allow gay people to marry. It was defeated on Monday night…
Malcolm Turnbull on Tuesday refused to say what he’ll do after the Senate rejects the plebiscite legislation.
Lukas Coch/AAP
Those same-sex couples who want to get married soon have fallen victim to a particularly intense and cynical political power struggle. The push to accord a simple right to people who – for goodness sake…
BIll Shorten has announced Labor will block legislation to set up a plebiscite on marriage equality.
AAP/Lukas Coch
It is inevitable that Australia will, in the not-too-distant future, allow two people to marry regardless of their gender. But which prime minister will get to claim this as their legacy?
The attorney-general holds a largely political office, sitting in cabinet and often holding other portfolios.
AAP/Lukas Coch
Is Malcolm Turnbull at risk of finding himself in a similar situation to Julia Gillard, with a disillusioned public settling into a negative view that transcends achievements of the moment?
Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity