BRISBANE: In the lead-up to the state election, LGBTQI community groups are encouraging people to engage with politicians. Katherine Kokkonen explores how to get your voice heard, and how the political parties are responding.

Queensland Labor candidate Peter Watson has refused to withdraw homophobic comments which forced him to pull out of the March 24 state election.

On the night in 2007 that Labor won the federal election, a Kevin Rudd meme – a “lolKevin” – went into interweb circulation. It was a photo of an authoritative-looking Rudd with a very simple imploration below: “Don’t fuck it up.”

Last week saw a disheartening but perhaps necessary reality check on marriage equality.

Some people will inevitably ask, “why will there be another Senate marriage equality inquiry? Wasn’t the one in 2009 enough?” Unfortunately, the answer is “no”.

Moving too soon on gay marriage by rushing legislation through parliament is more than likely to have the opposite effect of proloning the debate, writes Rodney Croome.

The peak association representing the country’s civil celebrants has become the latest body to gives its official backing to marriage equality, while also calling for a conscience vote to be offered to all parties when the issue comes up for debate in Federal Parliament later this year.

One of the key moments in 2011 was the endorsement of gay marriage by the ALP at its national conference. And it was a feat largely attributable to the work of Rainbow Labor. Sed Crest offers an insight into how it all happened. 

Labor MP Stephen Jones has stated he will go into discussion with marriage equality advocates to guarantee the success of his bill to amend the federal marriage act.

The ALP National Conference yielded bittersweet returns for the GLBTI community. While Labor now officially endorses marriage equality, it has allowed a conscience vote on the issue, meaning any moves for reform will most likely be defeated. So where to now for the gay marriage campaign? Australian Marriage Equality’s Alex Greenwich talks to Ron Hughes.

The Union for Progressive Judaism has congratulated the Australian Labor Party for adopting marriage equality as party policy.

ANALYSIS: LGBTI rights advocate and Australian Marriage Equality Campaign Director Rodney Croome on how we move forward with gay marriage movement with a Labor conscience vote.

A conscience vote was the best outcome marriage equality advocates could've hoped for at Labor's National Conference, and it's certainly a historic and significant development. But the position the ALP now finds itself in as a result of trying to displease as few factions as possible is quite bizarre.

The Australian Greens have announced they will reintroduce their marriage equality bill into both houses of parliament when sittings resume next year.

The Australian Labor Party has voted to amend its policy platform in support of marriage equality.