As usual, Abbott is upside down. We all know that in fact it's religious people (Christians in particular) who abuse children, who demand their own political correctness in everything, and who are determined to interfere in the lives of those who have different beliefs. So it's going to be a long half-year until the Liberals finally inflict their mad, money-wasting plebiscite on us.

But take heart, Australia -- there will be at least two things for us to laugh at.  Firstly. while Tony Abbott's crew blithely ignore what Christians do to children, they will work themselves into hysteria telling us about how dangerous gay marriage will be for the children of gay couples. Yes, that's right : Children. Of. Gay. Couples.  The Abbottites just don't know who and what you have to have for children to be, um, made.  

As if that weren't silly enough, and even though Tony Abbott himself believed for years that he had sired a son out of wedlock, he and his ilk think obviously assume that you have to be married to have children.

G.T.W.  AGNEW

Coopers Plains 

As a boring, old, straight, white guy, I don't want to know, nor do I care what consenting adults do in the privacy of their bedrooms.

I imagine that homosexuals don't care what a boring, old, straight white guy does in his bedroom.

But marriage is a matter of equality.

Why on Earth should ANY person have a say in who you fall in love with and what you can do with that love?

It is 2017.  Australia is an embarrassment to the rest of the world.

Just let parliament vote on marriage equality, the world will not come to an end.

George Harley 

Mount Isa

Our story about the Mount Isa emergency department clogged with admission of flu in the last week has got people talking.

Stephen Wood Why do people clog up the emergency department for a flu...absolutely ridiculous.

Noela Ann Brack Because most times you can not get into a GP for at least a week after.

Georgia Boundy This strain is really weird. My partner and I have it. And literally every sort of symptom for sickness is in it. It might be scary for some people. I wouldn't have gone to the ED. but some people are worried because it isn't like normal flu

Zoie Evelyn-marie Bragg Someone in my family has it there and is going to private doc but it just no ordinary flu. Sounds more like strands of influenza. Dangerous here in Townsville atm too.

Richelle Korte Can't blame the Rodeo or the Isa... people have had it weeks before

Suzanne Rossow There is a strain of Influenza A going around

Mayka N Kotabi If people stayed home when they have it, and don't send their sick kids to schools and then drag them out to the shops, I don't think it would be spreading like wildfire right now. I went shopping Monday and every second person was sick with it. Common sense goes a long way in these situations I just wished people would use it. And thank you the the people who do stay home when there sick, you are very far and few but locals are grateful.

Julie Lingley It will go with the pregnancy epidemic in 9 months time!

Donna Mair Stay in bed and sweat it out. Stop wasting Hospital time it's a flu/cold. Years ago when my daughter was 4 I had to take her to hospital and I was extremely sick, bucket in hand while I was driving, got there and was asked if I needed a doctor. You see people sitting there with a runny nose and cough. Go to the chemist and get something, Toughen up.