Greens push for overseas marriage

Same-sex marriages performed overseas are in the sights of the Greens after they introduced a new bill into the federal Parliament today.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has introduced the Marriage Act Amendment (Recognition of Foreign Marriages for Same-Sex Couples) Bill 2013 into the Senate.

While no date has been scheduled for a vote, she said she hopes it will be before the September 14 election.

Hanson-Young strongly urged all MPs to support the bill and help put Australia on the right side of history.

“Love is love, it doesn’t discriminate depending on which country you’re in and neither should we,” she said.

“It’s time for the equality opponents in Australia to step aside and let us get on with this inevitable reform.

“While the Greens are standing up for LGBTI Australians, Labor and Tony Abbott’s Coalition are failing to show any leadership on this issue.”

She said the majority of Australians wanted to see equality in their country and that the bill was one important step towards a fairer society.