Marriage bill for WA Parliament

Half of Australia’s state and territory governments will have marriage equality bills currently before their Parliaments after Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren (pictured) announced  her intention to introduce a marriage equality bill into the Western Australian Parliament.

It will be the fourth marriage equality bill in a state parliament, joining South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.

MacLaren announced her intention today to introduce the Marriage Equality Bill 2012 into the Upper House this morning which will enable same-sex couples to marry in WA.

It will also authorise celebrants, establish a registration system and provide for annulments and divorce.

It is unclear when the bill will be introduced but MacLaren said all eyes were on Canberra now.

“With the City of Perth’s Pride Festival around the corner, it is timely to take one more step toward full equality,” MacLaren said.

“If all efforts at a federal level fail because Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard refuse to get out of the way of a reform the majority of Australians support, then I wanted to provide the opportunity at the state level to make gay marriage happen.”

Australian Marriage Equality national convenor Alex Greenwich applauded the move by the WA Greens.

“Marriage equality is no longer a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’, and the Coalition should ensure it is standing on the right side of history,” he said.

Tasmania recently voted its legislation through the Parliament’s Lower House and now awaits an uncertain passage through the Upper House.

The ACT Government has considered legalising marriage equality pending the outcome of the Tasmanian debate.