NRL, AFL and Football Federation show gay marriage support in Weekend Australian

NRL, AFL and Football Federation show gay marriage support in Weekend Australian

TODAY’S edition of the Weekend Australian magazine has seen the AFL, NRL and Football Federation Australia join forces to take out a full page advertisement that presented a united front of support of marriage equality.

The ad features former rugby league coach, premiership-winning player and marriage equality ambassador Paul Langmack with the quote: “On and off the field we support and stand by our mates. These sporting codes unanimously stand for fairness, believing all Australians should be treated fairly and equally in the eyes of the law”.

The support for marriage equality comes from all levels of the sporting codes, with Rabbitohs prop Thomas Burgess applauding the NRL’s move to publicly support it.

Before last week’s match with the Panthers Burgess said: “It’s ignorant and old-fashioned [to think] if you’re male you can only love a female.”

The 23-year-old went on to say that “it’s great for an institution as entrenched in the Australian way of life as the NRL to come out in support of such a social change”.

Australian Marriage Equality national director Rodney Croome also praised the support from Australia’s three leading football codes.

“Just as these three football codes are working together to achieve marriage equality, we hope our federal politicians will work together to deliver marriage equality this year,” he said.

News of the football codes coming together in a show of support for marriage equality comes just weeks after some of Australia’s leading corporate groups made a similar statement with full page advertisements in earlier editions of The Australian.

The marriage equality debate continues to surge in Australia. Earlier this week, it was announced that South Australian Labor Senator Penny Wong and fellow South Australian Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi will tackle marriage reform in a debate at the National Press Club on July 29.

Below is the ad published in the Weekend Australian magazine today:

NRL-FFA-AFL-AD

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4 responses to “NRL, AFL and Football Federation show gay marriage support in Weekend Australian”

  1. Why in 2015, are our lawmakers right here in Australia defending the indefensible (regarding the ban on gay marriage)?

  2. I really like Paul’s Order from Forbes NSW:

    Paul of Forbes NSW:

    My Order just introduced…

    Legislative Instruments and Acts (Marriage Equality) Order 2015

    (1) WEREAS; All references throughout all Australian Acts of Parliament and common law that say; “man”, “woman”, “male”, “female”, “husband”, “wife”, “him”, “he”,
    “she”, “her”, etc. – are to must now include same-sex partners and/or same-sex spouses under this Order! (e.g. both the Marriage Act 1961 and the Family Law Act 1975).

    (2) WEREAS; All references throughout all Australian legislative instruments, regulations and common law that say; “man”, “woman”, “male”, “female”, “husband”, “wife”, “him”, “he”,
    “she”, “her”, etc. – are to must now include same-sex partners and/or same-sex spouses under this Order!

    (3) This Order becomes effective from the date of issue!

    Legislative Instruments and Acts (Marriage Equality) Order 2015
    Issued: 9/7/2015, Thursday at 4:30PM!

  3. All MPs and Senators in Australia, should be completely BANNED at attending any of these AFL, Soccer, NRL football games – until they pass a law allowing same-sex marriage in Australia!