First Australian gay wedding under UK law to take place in Sydney tomorrow

First Australian gay wedding under UK law to take place in Sydney tomorrow

THE first British same-sex couple to legally marry in Australia will tie the knot tomorrow in Sydney.

Gordon Stevenson and Peter Fraser, who are both dual Australian and British citizens, will officially be declared husband and husband on Friday afternoon at the UK consulate on Macquarie St.

Their marriage will not be recognised in Australia.

Talking to the Star Observer, Fraser said the couple had arranged the marriage in just two weeks.

“We’ve been together for 19 years though so it’s the longest engagement with the fastest wedding,” he said.

The couple, who live in the inner Sydney suburb of Surry Hills, said they were planning a “low key” event with friends and family from NSW and interstate.

Fraser said they hadn’t planned to be the first same-sex couple in Australia to marry under British law.

“We didn’t mean to be a trailblazer,” he said.

“We just wanted to get married and were in the right place at the right time.

“It’s an amazing privilege and great that Britain has changed the law not only in the UK but also for its citizens abroad in countries like China, India and Australia that still have discrimination.”

As a first step to marriage equality in Australia, Fraser hoped that his marriage would soon be recognised by the government.

He added that legislating for same-sex marriage in Australia would “make so many people happy and not feel like second class citizens.”

In March, the Federal Government confirmed it would not block same-sex marriages from occurring at the UK’s consulates in Australia following their legalisation in Britain.

At the time, Australian Marriage Equality national director Rodney Croome said the decision meant “many couples who would otherwise have had to go to Britain to marry will be able to do so at home in the company of friends and family.”

 

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One response to “First Australian gay wedding under UK law to take place in Sydney tomorrow”

  1. I want to congratulate this couple and there families on there marriage. I am a single atheist 27 year old aged care worker taxpaying gay man politically minded, who lives in a small rural town called Forbes in central west nsw. This country Australia is such a joke in still banning gay marriage! This is 2014 not 1914!

    Our country is so far behind to the point were it is just not funny and completely embarrassing!

    Tony Abbott and all conservatives should “just go to Canadia” and just get fucked!