Political momentum builds on marriage equality in light of Ireland’s referendum

Political momentum builds on marriage equality in light of Ireland’s referendum

MOMENTUM around marriage equality is building in the wake of Ireland’s successful referendum, with Labor’s Tony Burke declaring his support and one Liberal MP advocating a party room discussion around a conscience vote sometime this year.

The news comes as the Australian offshoot of Ireland’s Yes Equality campaign urged federal parliamentarians to recognise the Marriage Act as it currently stands is out of step with today’s society.

Assistant education minister Simon Birmingham, a supporter of a conscience vote, told ABC Radio National this morning the issue should be debated “at some point this year”.

Birmingham said the discussion shouldn’t happen in an election year, but was hopeful it would be raised “when there’s a window during the course of this year”.

The prospect of a Liberal Party conscience vote continues to be the focus of marriage equality advocates, as more MPs come out in support of the issue.

Following the success of Ireland’s referendum in support of same-sex marriage over the weekend – which passed with 62 per cent in favour with a 60 per cent voter turnout– Watson federal Labor MP Tony Burke said in a statement he would vote in favour of a marriage equality bill in Federal Parliament.

Despite apparent opposition to the issue in his western Sydney electorate, Burke said voting in support of marriage equality would go towards ending increased community division.

“As this debate drags on in Australia it is becoming harsher and angrier rather than kinder and gentler. This is coming from both sides,” he said.

“The time has now come for the conversation in communities like mine to move to the fact that this change will occur. We need to get to the next stage of the conversation to explain why those who do not want the change will be unaffected by it.”

Former treasurer Wayne Swan is another Labor MP who recently announced his support for marriage equality.

Ireland’s yes vote in the face of a concerted campaign against it has prompted some to call for an Australian referendum on the issue.

However, Irish Yes Equality Australia spokeswoman Louise Nealon has told the Star Observer that a referendum in Australia is not needed.

“A referendum in Ireland was necessary to expand the definition of marriage in the Irish constitution, and it was important because the protection of family that the constitution provides will now be extended to same-sex couples and families,” Nealon said.

“That there had to be a vote about such a basic human rights issue was difficult for many Irish people, but it generated a public debate that has had a very positive outcome in terms people’s understanding of LGBT lives.

“Australians, however, are in the very lucky position of not needing a referendum or a vote as no constitutional amendments are required. And a referendum would cost taxpayers millions of dollars and potentially have negative effects on the mental health of LGBT young people across the country.”

The prospect of a referendum has also been widely rejected as unnecessary by experts, advocates and MPs, including opposition leader Bill Shorten.

Australian Marriage Equality national convener Rodney Croome called suggestions of a local referendum “a diversion”.

“A referendum would be costly, polarising and unnecessary given the High Court has already removed all constitutional obstacles to reform,” he said.

“Given how close the numbers are in our parliament, any suggestion of a referendum is at best a diversion and at worst a delaying tactic.”

Nealon also highlighted that Australian parliamentarians have run out of excuses to delay the inevitability of marriage equality.

“All major Irish political parties in government and opposition supported marriage equality and encouraged its citizens to vote ‘yes’ for equality,” she said.

“Australian parties across the parliament have yet to show the same leadership. And from a religious perspective, even one of the most senior Irish Catholic leaders has called for the church to take a ‘reality check’ in light of this ‘social revolution’.

“The Irish referendum wasn’t won by LGBTI voters or young voters alone, even though their representation was fantastic. It was won by the majority of Catholic and Protestant voters who reconciled their faith with the need to allow all Irish citizens to have equal rights.

“The right to marry and to protect your family is not a religious issue, it’s a human rights issue.”

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56 responses to “Political momentum builds on marriage equality in light of Ireland’s referendum”

    • Correction:
      Gay sex became legal in New Zealand in 1986 (the year I was born); Civil unions came later in 2004!; Then Marriage equality in 2013!

  1. Birth certificate, divorce and marriage within Australian law is completely outdated and bigoted! It is time that all got a massive overhaul with 4 simple plain recommendations!

    Recommendation 1:
    # Stop the “forced divorces” of trans* people who are already married;
    Recommendation 2:
    # Allow for the performance and recognition of civil marriage equality within Australia;
    Recommendation 3:
    # Allow intersex and trans* people dignity on all there birth, death and marriage certificates; and
    Recommendation 4:
    # “Sex reassignment surgery” should not be required for gender updates to both drivers licences and birth certificates.

    • Rainbows were in the sky on the day Ireland and Scotland passed these same-sex marriage laws/referendums! What does that say?

      GOD CLEARLY APPROVES MARRIAGE EQUALITY!

  2. I maybe only 20, but I know as a university student union member fighting for LGBTI equality. For my family and friends – The ones really in charge of the federal Government is not the Liberal party, but the ACL (Australian Christian Lobby)! That is why marriage equality was banned since 2004 and even still today in 2015, the ACL is pulling the strings on Tony Abbott. On the Labor side however, the Shoppies Union also has a big influence on Labor Party Policy at the next Labor Conference coming up sometime in July! Also a big SCOTUS decision on marriage equality in the US is coming up next month! Watch this space…

  3. Aussie pollies are always 20 years behind the times (like the ACL) and are running scared like rats on a sinking ship, at trying to get votes from people at the next federal election in 2016! Australia will surely have marriage equality sometime in 2025! We just have to wait another 10 years!

  4. When did Australia turn into Conservative bigoted Texas? Did I miss something? Why because Tony Abbott no doubt has a brother and his name is Greg Abbott the Governor of Texas!

  5. Still also waiting for the big SCOTUS decision within the US sometime in late June this year on marriage equality too! 38 states in the US currently allow marriage equality!

  6. Australia was also late on the decriminalisation of homosexuality, especially in Tasmania in May 1997 – when they were forced to by the High Court, Amnesty International, Federal Government, etc!
    This happened long after most of the western world legalised homosexuality (with the exception of Singapore and the United States). Singapore still in 2015 has section 377A in its Penal Code, while in 2003 SCOTUS under Lawrence v Texas in the US completely invalidated all state laws on banning gay sex!

  7. Tony Abbott and his Liberal Party Government is the new Aussie KKK/Taliban/ISIS/ISL!

    • Australia has always been late to the party on plenty of things – such as automatic number plate recognition for police to check vehicle rego, 4-lane dual carriageway highways between cities, water purification for drinking from sewerage (we live on the driest continent for fuck sake), fast 300km/h trains between cities, hyper-fast broadband network, decriminalising gay sex, same sex unions/same sex marriage, etc.

  8. 72% of Aussies SUPPORT marriage equality according to the latest polls. Just pass the “Freedom To Marry Bill 2014” already!

    The trouble is that cunt Tony Abbott is too busy having sex with his own daughters!

  9. There are two words standing in the way of marriage equality – TONY ABBOTT
    ITS TIME for Malcolm Turnbull to fight for his GLBTI constituents , cross the floor and challenge Abbott for the leadership . Enough is enough !

    • Malcolm Turnbull is a gutless Liberal MP cunt, who is way too busy worshipping the ground Tony Abbott stands on!

  10. Tony Abbott and his Liberal government are very corrupt!

    Vote 1 Greens

  11. Bollox, the only push we need is to push the current government out, i seriously doubt this change will occur while abott and his crew stay in

    • The Labor government (assuming they win 2016 Election) will do nothing on marriage equality either! They are just as bad as the homophobic Liberal pricks! Do not just blame the Liberal and National parties!

  12. What a total joke Australia really is! Come on time for marriage equality now please – me and my partner are still waiting! I will be waiting another 100 years at this rate!

  13. I have more of a chance at winning $1 million on Keno, than both the major political parties (Labor and Liberal) of the Australian Parliament – actually passing a bill that finally allows marriage equality!

  14. Typical Australian values – always “debating” – never actually “implementing” anything, while the rest of the western world passes us by!

    • That is so very true indeed, while the rest of the world changes – we as Aussies just sit and do absolutely NOTHING!

  15. If my neighbours got married tomorrow it wouldn’t impact me nor do I imagine they would come and ask me if they can. Why the hell should we need permission? People look back on history regarding women voting and the treatment of our first nations ppl with shame… when will the govt learn??? It won’t hurt anyone and in fact will most probbaly have a massive effect on the economy for many places in a positive manner. For example: I live in nth qld but most of our friends and relatives live either interstate or different towns so for us to get married would see motel bookings rental cars etc etc….

  16. Australia stupidly still even bans marriage equality at a federal level and four states within Australia (namely NT, QLD, SA and VIC) still even ban gay couples from adopting children! Are we secretly run by ISIS or ISL or something, did I miss something!? Or maybe we have been fooled all along with reality TV such as Eurovision, Master-chef, The Federal Budget and The Voice distracting us the whole time and Tony Abbott and his Liberal Party or LNP government became a member of ISIS or ISL right under our noses! The Australian Labor Party or ALP opposition are also to blame for this mess too!

  17. Both Northern Ireland and Australia (they must be brothers in arms or something) are the only places in the English-speaking western world that does have same-sex marriage! It will be 100 years before we here in Australia and perhaps Northern Ireland catch up!

  18. Both Tony Abbott and Bill Shorten are stupid, pathetic, chaotic, idiotic reckless fools, behind-the-times, backward, 1915 bigoted conservative cunts that just plainly do not get it through their thick twisted skulls!

    There I said it!

    SIGNED!