Marriage equality impacts everyone
Last week the New South Wales Legislative Council passed a motion supporting marriage equality.
Lesbians and gay men have achieved formal equality under the law in NSW, and this motion adds weight to the push for the federal Government to ‘catch up’ with NSW and other states that have passed similar motions. The right to marry can only be recognised or, as we saw under John Howard’s Government, explicitly forbidden by the federal Government.
In the recent past a number of the roadblocks to marriage equality have fallen, with the ALP finally adopting marriage equality in their platform and some state governments passing motions supporting marriage equality.
However, none of these outcomes can produce marriage equality. The three marriage equality bills put before federal Parliament will most likely be voted on during the next two months. The reports on these motions come out later this month, and the GLRL will keep you informed on what lobbying we will be doing, and what you can do to secure equality.
Whatever the stunts and events that will be held over the coming months, the most effective thing you can do is write to your local member.
Even better — get your rural and regional-dwelling friends and family to write to their local members. It is in the electorates without a large population of lesbians and gay men that the most difference can be made — we need to show these MPs that marriage equality is not simply a matter for the inner city, but matters and impacts upon the lives of all Australians.
The GLRL has long been in the fight for equality, and we would not be able to do the work we do without the support of our members. We rely heavily on membership and member donations to raise the funds we need to keep fighting the good fight.
We are very excited to launch our online membership page at http://glrl.org.au/index.php/Get-Involved/Get-Involved/Member
Please make use of it and join us! We would love to have more members and more people involved with the Lobby. You do not need to be a lawyer or a political adviser (I’m neither). We need members from all walks of life.
If you would like more information, please don’t hesitate to contact as at glrl@glrl.org.au
By LAINIE ARNOLD, NSW GLRL
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