Regional Queensland celebrant “honoured” to perform gay weddings

A celebrant in Gladstone has said she would be honoured to perform the central Queensland town’s first gay weddings.

Judy Whicker, who has married hundreds of couples, said she was “really excited” about the outcome of the marriage equality postal survey, The Gladstone Observer reported.

The electorate of Flynn, which includes Gladstone, returned a Yes vote of 51.5 per cent.

Whicker said that the survey should never have happened and that marriage equality should have been decided on by the federal government.

“However, the population have voted, and I’m very excited about it,” she said.

The long-time celebrant has already performed several gay commitment ceremonies and said she is looking forward to officiating same-sex weddings.

“These people have been together for quite a few years,” she said.

“One of the couples has a baby and they are as happy as Larry.

“I’ve also done some weddings between males and females that have lasted two weeks… so who are we to say?”

Debate continues over whether civil celebrants like Whicker should be allowed to refuse to conduct same-sex weddings if it conflicts with their beliefs.

The official word from industry peak bodies, however, is that celebrants overwhelmingly do not want the right to discriminate.

A large majority of celebrants said they would happily perform same-sex weddings, with only 3 per cent saying they would quit if forced to do so.