A group of Aboriginal people, mostly elders, has delivered a bark petition against gay marriage to the Federal Government. The Uluru Bark Petition states that all Aboriginal people oppose changing the definition of marriage to allow same-sex couples to wed.
Elders presented the Uluru Bark Petition to Senator Eric Abetz, the leader of the government in the Senate.
It also appeared in media outlet The Australian and now has hundreds of signatures online.
"Which is less than 0.05 percent of the Aboriginal population of Australia", said Indigilez leadership and support group's Tanya Quakawoot. "So a very small percentage of Aboriginal people oppose gay marriage without any consultation with Indigenous gay or lesbian people."
So a very small percentage of Aboriginal people oppose gay marriage without any consultation with Indigenous gay or lesbian people
The petition, written in Pitjantjatjara and English, states that mothers and fathers form the foundations of Aboriginal families, and that it is an "affront to suggest another definition of marriage".
Que Kenny, an Arrernte transwoman, said the petition did not speak for her.
"I've never had anyone from my own region come up to me or the sisters and brothers in the Northern Territory to talk about same-sex marriages," she told NITV News. "There have been some people stepping out of line, I've never seen those people on the article speak to the LGBTIQ community."
Tanya Quakawoot said that the petitioners had been influenced by the Christianity of Britain.
"Colonisation and Christianity has pretty much shaped Indigenous culture today," Ms Quakawoot said. "In particular, it has hidden the voices of Indigenous lesbians and gays, and downplayed the importance of their relationships in traditional culture."
I've never had anyone from my own region come up to me or the sisters and brothers in the Northern Territory to talk about same-sex marriages
In Parliament, Liberal backbencher Warren Entsch introduced his cross-party bill to legally allow same-sex marriage.
"We believe that when it comes to marriage equality, that time is now," he said.
"The institution of marriage is about two people making a commitment to a monogamous relationship for life. Who is to say that one person's love for another person is in some way lesser because of their gender makeup?"
Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the debate around marriage was not one for a politician.
"This should not be a politician's decision, this is a people's decision and that is what should happen in the next term of parliament," he said.
