Our Cabinet-style of government gives everyone in the Cabinet room the chance to express a view about the subject under discussion. Even if the final government position is not as such a one might have wished, nevertheless the individual was heard. Accordingly, when the plebiscite re marriage is held, there must not contain a biased or loaded question, framed in terms to favour a desired outcome (Eg Do you endorse same-sex unions to be marriage? Yes. No.). Such a form would not give the people their rightful opportunity to express varied points of view. Like football, each type of game has its particular title - rugby league, AFL, union, soccer.

The plebiscite ballot paper must allow all voters to convey their assessment of whether the title marriage is appropriate to any form of union between two (or more) persons, regardless of gender.

A sample of the ballot paper may look like:

“Should the title marriage apply to two persons of the same gender?” Yes/No.

“Should same gender unions have an exclusive title, such as Unified?” Yes/No.

“Is the title marriage only applicable to a man and a woman union?” Yes/No.

In all our Australian elections, people are given the right to express a preference, so they should expect the same on such an important question earning the status of a plebiscite.

As a greyhound lover, advocate, fosterer and adoption group volunteer, I was ecstatic when I saw PETA Australia’s media statement that a NSW state ban on greyhound racing had been announced.

But seriously, it’s long overdue that this ban went national. How many more greyhound deaths at the track each year does it have to take? With up to 17,000 healthy greyhounds dying annually at the hands of the industry, 200 dogs reported injured during official races each week and the “lucky” survivors living in appalling conditions, the biggest tragedy is that this industry hasn’t been shut down sooner.

To see how desperately sad things have become, one only has to look at Bossey, one of five greyhounds found by RSPCA inspectors in a raid on a farm in Western Sydney.

They had been living and sleeping on a stinking, muddy floor in a dark shed. Bossey was severely underweight, lame and limping on three legs - the pain in the greyhound’s eyes was palpable. And the punishment? A $10,000 slap on the wrist, whilst also being able to keep the dog. 

I see that National Greyhound Racing United are bleating and blustering that for every bad person in the sport, there’s 2000 good ones. That is, when they’re having a break from smearing the name of NSW Premier Mike Baird. And it appears that the Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association (GBOTA) has hastily formed an industry alliance to campaign against the ban. Perhaps the many (but undisclosed) dollars they are spending on their grandstanding could be better invested in rehoming some of the many greyhounds needing a forever couch. Or simply paying some vet bills. The GBOTA’s campaign theme is ‘Racing to a Respected Future’. In my experience, the couch is the only place a greyhound wants to race to.

Sure, their campaign may go on for a long time, but it will be nowhere near as long as I will be fighting to get every last loving, lazy greyhound a soft bed and a forever home.

And I would say to anyone considering adoption, you’ll never go back once you realise the power of sharing your lounge with a hound.