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- Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Last week a Senate committee handed down its report into its marriage equality inquiry.
Its report contained three recommendations. The first was an independent review into nationally consistent ways to recognise same-sex relationships, along with equal rights in state and federal law.
The second, that same-sex couples marrying overseas should not be hindered by Australian red tape.
And the third was that this particular piece of legislation allowing for equal marriage not be passed.
The recommendations are contradictory at best – equal rights except for marriage. At worst it is an insight into the continued levels of prejudice faced by Australia’s LGBTI people as we head into the new decade.
On reading the inquiry transcripts insight is provided as to why the committee has gone further than simply a recommendation opposing same-sex marriage.
For the first time, opponents of marriage equality were made to publicly defend their views during the Senate Inquiry. Their opinions and rationale were questioned and requestioned. In particular, as they failed to succinctly communicate secular arguments why they believed the definition of marriage should not be altered, their arguments were riddled with holes.
On reading the transcripts and the final report one can see that members of the government in fact support same-sex marriage, but are gagged from saying so as party policy opposes it. While some in our community may condemn these people for not speaking out further than they have, the path forward in this report provides an opportunity worthy to be explored.
Our community’s campaign has become so large that equal marriage is now squarely on the national agenda. Senior politicians have described it as “unstoppable”. Major newspapers have written pro-equal marriage editorials. Majority public opinion is on our side.
Celebrities have spoken out in favour and same-sex couples have shared personal stories in the thousands. Campaign advertising has appeared in print, radio and TV. Corporations and unions alike have thrown their support behind same-sex employees and members. Our campaign has never been stronger.
On Saturday more than 4500 people rallied around the country protesting against the hypocrisy of the report’s recommendations. The sheer numbers only two days after the report came out provide hope that next year’s National Year of Action will ensure the issue of marriage equality remains an issue for the next Federal election.
In the meantime we must continue to work with our local communities, families and friends to remind them why our same-sex marriage would have no impact on their heterosexual marriage. We must remind them of how marriage has evolved over the years; how it is now more respectful of women, people of differing colour and religions.
In doing so, we will continue to grow our campaign towards victory.
info: Corey Irlam is a LGBTI human rights advocate and a spokesman for the Australian Coalition for Equality.
December 2nd, 2009 @ 11:54 am
Contradiction or prejudice? Both.
While the pollies stall on providing us with a more accurate and inclusive definition of marriage. They may as well amend the name of the “Liberal” Party, because as we all know, they represent the complete opposite to what thier name suggests.
Labour & Liberal may as well be merged as one Dictatorship due to thier blatent, recent and current diregard of their responsibilities under The Australian Constitution in relation to the enactment of this law.
**REVOLT!**
December 4th, 2009 @ 11:46 am
If the law is passed that recognises same-sex marriages from other countries, get ready. We will see a wave of people heading over to Ohio and Vermont and Canada, getting married, and coming home the very next day.
Unless the campaign grows, our protest numbers increase and our angry letters keep flooding in, there is very little chance the federal government will change the gay marriage ban. Especially when we have two religious people as Liberal and Labor leaders.
The only hope is if Abbott, in electoral desperation, in needing to come up with any sort of policy to make the Australia public like him, says that he will allow for gay marriage.
Kevin Rudd then beats him to the punch and changes the law first.
The chances of that happening are not likely. Correction, zero.
December 4th, 2009 @ 11:48 am
I was at the November 28 Equal Love rally in Melbourne.
I took some photos are wrote up a report on my blog: internationalannual.blogspot.com
Check it out.
January 10th, 2010 @ 11:33 pm
We are falling behind the world because we are pandering to the mainstream instead of building our own community.
Even the conservative ancient Hindu nation of Nepal is ahead of Australia on GLBT rights. Their Supreme Court ruled that GLBT indaviduals are NATURAL PEOPLE. It ordered their govenment to legislate to protect all rights of GLBT people including the right to marry.
We in Australia have never had NATURAL PEOPLE status and this goes to the core of all issues including marrage.
We must reunite our own community and demand our rights to be treated as NATURAL PEOPLE. Forget the mainstream, we will never find happyness in there. Unite the community, our own community, unite the GLBT vote, go to the courts and force Australia to accept us as NATURAL PEOPLE. NO LESS.