I'm surprised that so few people have noticed that it's a well-timed attack by Howard, with an election around the corner. Really, what he's trying to do amounts to yet more of his infamous "wedge politics". It simultaneously drives a wedge through the community (and whips-up a storm of homophobia to distract them from the Bush/Blair/Howard war-crimes being enacted in Iraq) and through the ALP (who will quite happily argue among themselves, split into factions and, well, try to use their conscience instead of towing the party line...this division is the sorta thing Howard thrives on).