AustLit

'In 2011 the Gillard government passed legislation regarding passports that allowed the choice of an X gender on them with the selection of gender not depending upon medical intervention, and in 2013 amended the Sexual Discrimination Act to make discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersex people illegal. In 2004, the Howard government had amended the Marriage Act to exclude same-sex marriage; in 2009 the Rudd government brought in legislation to remove discrimination for same-sex couples in 1985 Federal laws. Australia certainly has a plentiful supply of the former, though the still expanding oil industry is a major contributor to Australia having one of the worst records in the world on carbon reduction in relation to industry and export especially in relation to fossil fuels (and metals) extraction and trading. [...]if the big fossil fuel companies operating in Australia paid more tax- and one third pay none at all-there would be capital available for more investment and community involvement in sustainable energy generation. Morrison also signed off on what was agreed to be-at the Pacific Islands Forum urging global efforts to limit warming to 1.5 degrees-"critical to the security of our blue Pacific," but the LNP has no plans to develop a policy to substantially transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources, even though recent developments continue to make this energy cheaper.' (Carole Ferrier, Editorial introduction)