In a history-making move that has elated many Australians, Labor’s ACT Government passed their Marriage Equality Same-Sex Bill in the legislative assembly just before midday today.
The bill, which was passed by eight votes to seven with the support of the Labor Government and one Greens member, will allow authorised celebrants to marry same-sex couples in the ACT, regardless of where they live. No minister of religion will be required to solemnise a marriage, nor will any church or place of worship be required to host a ceremony. Same-sex couples will be required to give four weeks notice of their intent to marry, and it is expected they will be able to marry before Christmas this year.
It is the first time such laws have been passed by an Australian Government and already it is said the decision is headed for a High Court challenge by the Abbott Government.
In an impassioned speech, Chief Minister Katy Gallagher told the Assembly, “There is no longer any excuse, if there ever was, to discriminate against same-sex couples in our community. They are our children, our parents, our brothers, our sisters, our leaders, our business people, our mentors, and our colleagues.
“More than anything, they are our equals. The Marriage Equality Act puts this fundamental principle and human right into law.”
Deputy Chief Minister Andrew Barr, who is openly gay himself, was brought to tears as he delivered an emotional address explaining the importance of the move. He said, “These are reforms that also impact positively on the parents who want their children to live happy, productive, and healthy lives without having to experience fear, hate, and discrimination. Reforms that impact positively on brothers and sisters… who’ve seen their siblings struggle with the unfairness of discriminatory laws.”
The news comes just hours after New Idea reported that Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s sister Christine Forster has proposed to her partner Virginia Edwards. Foster, a Liberal Councillor at the City of Sydney, proposed to her partner in the NSW outback and the pair are planning an intimate wedding that, “will be close friends and family. Tony and Margie will definitely be there.” Unless things change, it sounds as thought they’ll be planning for a wedding in the ACT then!
Here’s hoping the move to make same sex marriage legalised in the ACT sticks, and that the rest of Australia follows suit soon enough.
