Overseas recognition bill vote nears
A bill that would allow same-sex couples married overseas to have their relationships recognised in Australia is due to be debated and voted on in federal Parliament later this week.
The bill, due to be introduced in the Senate on Thursday, would remove a current legal inconsistency that forces same-sex couples married in jurisdictions that have legalised gay marriage, like New York and Spain, to abandon their marital status once they enter Australia.
South Australian Greens Senator and LGBTI spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young said the bill was the “last chance” the current Parliament had to vote in favour of equality before the next election.
“There are other countries that have taken the step of recognising international same-sex marriages before achieving full marriage equality, including Japan and Israel. Gay and lesbian Australians shouldn’t be forced to leave their marriage certificates at the customs gate and it’s time the parliament recognised that,” Hanson-Young said.
Hanson-Young moved to bring the bill forward after a long-expected vote on domestic same-sex marriage scheduled for June 6 failed to materialise, making it unlikely the issue will go to a vote before the federal election in September.
