Liberal Senator backs ACT

Liberal Senator backs ACT

One of the ACT’s two Liberal senators has come out in support of the territory’s new same-sex marriage laws.

Media reports this morning claim Gary Humphries has vowed to vote against his coalition colleagues in the upper house should the Rudd Government attempt to overturn the laws.

This week, on its third attempt, the territory’s Legislative Assembly passed laws for legally-binding civil union ceremonies between same-sex couples.

The previous attempts to introduce this legislation were rejected by both the Rudd and previous Howard governments.

Humphries told AAP the Commonwealth shouldn’t be able to overturn territory laws, and if it does then the High Court should have the final say.

“If it gets to the Senate … yes I will (cross the floor),” he said, adding that it was important to be consistent on the matter,” he told the news agency.

The senator voted against the Coalition government’s veto of similar laws in 2006 and was also outspoken against the Rudd Government’s threat to intervene in the legislation last year, which prompted the ACT to drop the legislation.

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One response to “Liberal Senator backs ACT”

  1. Why does the gay media continue to confuse Civil Unions/Partnerhips with gay marriage?

    The ACT bill is NOT gay marriage and to continue with this miss information is to fall into the trap of the religious right who say that it is.

    The ACT bill is no different than the Tasmanian and Victorian relationship regitries. It bestows the same rights as the ACT bill but is not called a Civil Union when in reality they both are.