Cold welcome to unions bill
A civil partnerships bill in the South Australian Parliament should not distract lawmakers from legislating for same-sex marriage, a marriage equality advocate has warned SA politicians.
SA independent MP Bob Such introduced his civil partnerships bill into Parliament on Tuesday although it has received a frosty reception from the country’s leading marriage equality group, Australian Marriage Equality. Civil partnership registers already exist in the ACT, NSW, Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria.
“South Australia has a unique opportunity to lead the nation by enacting laws allowing same-sex marriage, and the civil partnerships bill should not be a distraction from that opportunity,” Australian Marriage Equality national convenor Rodney Croome (pictured) said. “The international experience clearly shows that civil partnerships are not a substitute for full marriage equality because they are not as widely recognised or respected.”
He told media earlier this month civil unions would attract support whereas marriage equality laws would likely be blocked in Parliament.
