NSW Deputy Premier backs marriage
NSW Deputy Premier Carmel Tebbutt has come out in support of marriage equality for all Australians while revealing she supports civil unions as a way of formally recognising same-sex couples under state laws.
The Marrickville MP made the comments in an article which appeared on the Inner West Live website on Monday.
“Marriage is really a matter for the federal Government,” Tebbutt said. “But my private view of things is that if two people love each other, they should be able to express that through marriage and I don’t think we should be putting limits on that.”
Tebbutt stopped short of support for granting same-sex couples the right to marry under state law while the federal Government remains opposed, as has been proposed by the NSW Greens and University of NSW constitutional law expert Professor George Williams, but said she believed civil unions were something the NSW Government had jurisdiction to act on.
“I’ve supported, at a state level, the concept of civil unions because that’s something that the state could potentially play a role in,” she said.
Read more HERE
Responding to those comments, Greens MLC Cate Faehrmann, who holds the GLBTI communities portfolio, said it was great to know Tebbutt was in favour of marriage equality, but those words had to be backed up with action.
“I would be hoping, that in the event that we don’t get any movement federally on marriage equality, that Carmel Tebbutt would urge all of her colleagues and do as much as she can to get state legislation passed,” Faehrmann said.
“If you do believe that anyone should be able to marry who they love, then it’s a bit of a cop-out just to support civil unions.
“Marriage equality is not the reality in Australia because we’ve had lawmakers who aren’t courageous enough to legislate on this and it’s time all politicians, all lawmakers stood up for the rights of everybody to marry who they choose.”
Do I smell an election coming up!!!!?????
@GJ – your cynicism is quite wrong.
You only need read the newspaper to see that since the Federal election, more politicians have some out in support of same-sex marriage from both sides of politics.
Just another case of it is election time…More will come out in support. Then after the elections they all drop off. How thick do they think we are? Or are we?
Surely it is now only a matter of time before we catch up with the rest of the world??
I welcome and value yet another Labor leader joining the fight for the Civil Rights of people who are Same-Sex attracted.
As for the debate about surrogacy, a few points. My friends used a surrogacy clinic in India and have two wonderful children. The clinic did not allow them to see the mother or know how she is doing after the birth. There are no cards, no correspondence. My partner is a medical doctor, and has seen that sometimes mothers can die at birth or have other complications that require ongoing medical treatment. There is not even a guarantee that the mother will get paid well, or have the ability to get ongoing medical care if required. You certainly will be not around to find out.
I fully support laws that protect women from exploitation. Laws that give people a voice. I would of liked to of seen commercial surrogacy happen in Australia where it could regulated. The blanket ban is not workable as people can go to other States in Australia and bring their babies back.
We have a chance to take control of commercial surrogacy and allow it in Australia. I hope we can make laws that give us some control over commercial surrogacy, rather than giving us no control over it as is the current approach banning it.
The current system in India is ripe for exploitation. It is not transparent. It is not open. We must make commercial surrogacy legal in Australia if we are to have any hope of controlling it. The current ban was rushed and poorly thought out.
Let’s respect other countries laws and morality! If an OS country says commercial surrogacy is legal within its borders then why must the NSW “Nanny State” be so morally and culturally superior and contemptuous of local morality?
I guess its just the double standard of the ALP promoting Gay marriage rights in print but not in laws.
@Mark – commercial surrogacy has long been banned within Australia, so why would it be okay to allow it internationally??
If you support commercial surrogacy, then campaign for it to be legalised within Australia. It is too easy for women in poverty in other countries to be exploited without recourse to the courts.
It’s all well and good for Ms Tebbutt to say she supports same-sex marriage, but at the same time she says she’s not going to do anything about it.
When it came to the crunch of taking action in NSW parliament, Ms Tebbutt voted for Linda Burney’s amendment to the Surrogacy Bill 2010 which will see people from NSW who engage in commercial surrogacy arrangements overseas criminalised.
There must be an election VERY soon for the annihiliated ALP to come out of the closet to support gay marriage
She is starting to earn back some respect, after her abissmal withdrawal of anti-homophobia resources from high schools. I hope to see more of this more compassionate side of Carmel.
Hurrah – another senior ALP figure breaks ranks!
More to come too I am sure!
While I could be cynical and suggest this is perfectly timed for the election I think, given Tebbutt (and her husband Anthony Albanese’s) support for gay rights initiatives in the past that this is a genuine call.
We are seeing a significant number of Labor politicians break ranks and demonstrate their support for full marriage equality. This can only equate to the potential for a change in policy when the ALP national conference meets in December.
Thanks Carmel Tebbutt – I appreciate the courage it takes to break party ranks – and thanks for your ongoing support.