Advocates for same-sex marriage have challenged Federal
Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, to say how much support
for marriage equality is necessary before the Rudd Government
reverses its opposition to reform.
Australian Marriage Equality (AME) spokesperson, Alex Greenwich, said
Mr McClelland has written to the group justifying Australia’s laws against
same-sex marriage on the grounds that this discrimination “reflects the
widely held view in the community that marriage is between a man and a woman”.
“According to a nationwide Galaxy Poll published in June 2007, 57% of Australians
support same-sex marriage”, Mr Greenwich said.
“Another Galaxy Poll released this week shows 54% of people in Queensland, which
has traditionally been seen as a conservative state, also support equal marriage.”
“We have written back to Mr McClelland demanding to know exactly how high
support for marriage equality must be before his Government pays attention and
removes existing discrimination.”
AME also challenges Mr McClelland to justify the anomalous legal situation where
the only same-sex marriages recognised under Australian law are those solemnised
between different-sex partners where one partner subsequently has a sex change.
“This loophole means that a same-sex couple can marry in Australia if one partner
changes sex, the couple marries, and then the first partner changes back.”
“Our challenge to Mr McClelland is to justify why same-sex partners have no choice
but to have sex changes to get married.”
In its open letter to Mr McClelland AME also quizzes the Attorney-General on other
key issues including:
• the status of overseas same-sex marriages in proving the existence of a
same-sex union for immigration, tax and social security purposes,
• the continued refusal of the Federal Government to grant the necessary
documents to Australians entering same-sex marriages overseas,
• rules restricting registered marriage celebrants from expressing support for
equal marriage.
"Recognition of financial and workplace entitlements is welcome, but until the
Federal Government removes marriage discrimination, or at the very least, begins to
relax the Howard Government's heavy-handed policies on the issue, it will be judged
by us to have failed the gay and lesbian community", said Mr Greenwich.