Finance Minister Penny Wong slammed Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey during a live discussion forum on ABC Television last night, telling the audience she knows “what my family is worth” after the senior Liberal MP had claimed “a mother and a father” offered children “the very best circumstances”.

One of the key moments in 2011 was the endorsement of gay marriage by the ALP at its national conference. And it was a feat largely attributable to the work of Rainbow Labor. Sed Crest offers an insight into how it all happened. 

Growing activism and a shift in public mood towards marriage equality, culminating in the ALP adopting same-sex marriage as part of its policy platform, was the big news this year. But plenty of other good and not so good things have also gone down. Alex Dunkin gives an overview.

Federal Finance Minister Penny Wong and her partner Sophie Allouache are getting used to life as new parents, after announcing overnight that Allouache gave birth to a baby girl in Adelaide on Sunday, just a week after Wong had led calls for the Labor Party to give its backing to marriage equality.

The Australian Labor Party has voted to amend its policy platform in support of marriage equality. 

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has opened today’s ALP National Conference in Sydney with no mention of gay marriage despite senior Labor MPs suggesting that the party will be changing its platform to back marriage equality over the next few days.

CANBERRA: Federal independent MP Andrew Wilkie will soon announce a motion today aimed at reassuring Christians that religious celebrants and churches will not be forced to perform same-sex marriages if there are changes made to the Marriage Act.

Federal Finance Minister Penny Wong and former NSW Premier Kristina Keneally will be the guests of honour at two special Rainbow Labor events to be held in Sydney and Canberra in coming days, as party members gear up for the likely debate on marriage equality at the Labor National Conference next month.

Tom Kenyon has the become that latest South Australian MP to speak on gay marriage but the state Transport Minister was later forced to issue an apology for his remarks. 

CANBERRA: Attorney-General Robert McClelland and Senator Penny Wong have today reiterated in a joint announcement the Government’s commitment to introduce federal anti-discrimination laws on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.