to THE AGE
The Prime Minister is right (‘Hate mail - Fears of malicious campaign’, 10/8) that, during the run-up to the marriage postal vote, ‘the views of all sides should not be censored, even if offensive and extreme.’ That is an essential aspect of free speech. On this question there are obviously powerful arguments on both sides: it is not a simple black-and-white matter. Views which one commentator sincerely believes to be truthful and relevant may well appear to an ideological opponent as ‘misleading and deceptive’.
Is a compromise possible? Defenders of traditional marriage are unlikely to object, for example, to gay partners having ‘rights such as next of kin or being named on a partner’s death certificate’ (Letters).
NJ, Belgrave, Vic