Tassie talks marriage
Tasmanian Greens leader Nick McKim has again stated the Greens will pursue same-sex marriage laws in the Apple Isle in 2011.
In an online web forum on October 25, McKim said the party would continue with a set of three bills to introduce same-sex marriage.
“Marriage equality is not on the Attorney-General’s agenda, but it’s certainly on mine!” McKim wrote.
“I will table my Bills again, probably early next year.”
The Greens have already made two attempts to introduced same-sex marriage laws in the Tasmanian Parliament in 2005 and 2008.
Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesman Rodney Croome said change is needed.
“Allowing same-sex couples the choice to marry is one of the key social justice issues facing Australia today,” Croome said.
“It is appropriate Tasmania takes a lead on this issue given it was the first state to allow civil unions and the first to recognise overseas civil unions and same-sex marriages.”
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This is a tricky one- on the one hand Marriage laws in Australia only carry weight at a national level (although there are small amount of state laws involved)…
….. but on the other hand the WORD marriage seems to be THE stumbling block (even just plain old civil marriage in a government registry office like any other straight tax payer can have).
As a last resort, implementing civil marriage at a state level would smash open the latter point- it would be like a shaken up can of soft drink with the top opened- it will all gush out… and the other states would fall like dominos until it’s national. The fear of the word marriage will disappear as soon as footage of marriages occuring in Tassie are plastered across national and INTERNATIONAL tv screens.
In the past Labor was able to put a lid on this idea… but now the Greens have & are continuing to gain power and relevance, this idea can’t be stopped by Labor again so easily this time- but they will try, with every excuse under the sun.