Tribute to Bill Hayden, advocate for gay rights...no, sorry, human rights

Fellow citizens,

Following yesterday's historic passing of the Same-Sex Marriage legislation, I thought it important to recognise the efforts of Bill Hayden in arriving at this long overdue reform.

From Mark Kenny's article in the SMH, September 30, 2017 "Bill Hayden, the most visionary PM we never had, says Paul Keating."

"Most younger Australians campaigning for marriage equality in 2017 would not know Hayden from Adam. Incredulous at the glacial pace of change, even fewer would know that way back in 1967, it was Hayden, now 84 and infirm, who was pushing forward, largely by himself within federal Labor, to repeal dehumanising laws which rendered homosexual love illegal."

"Even now in 2017, it is not uncommon for embarrassed Labor MPs to explain their denial in parliamentary votes as a "journey" – the unspoken point being it might have harmed their career prospects. But consider this. The former social security minister, treasurer, opposition leader, foreign minister, and ultimately governor-general, achieved all of that after he spoke out, long before he was leader, long before there was a majority within Labor, long before it was fashionable to do so."

Indeed.