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Wednesday, May 12th, 2010
Relationship recognition for gay couples in NSW moved one step forward after the government passed the relationship register in the lower house.
The bill passed 62 votes to 9 late Tuesday night after just three hours of debate, with Liberal MPs being allowed conscience votes.
Under the bill, same-sex couples will be able to legally register their relationships and receive the same legal entitlements as married couples.
Full Story from SX
Click here for gay marriage resources in Australia.
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Posted in australia, new south wales, registry | No Responses »
Tags: australia, Gay Marriage, marriage equality, new south wales, NSW, relationship registry, same sex marriage
Monday, March 1st, 2010
More than 5000 people have gathered in front of the Sydney Opera House to be photographed nude in the name of art and diversity today. A pregnant woman was among the first group of Australians to take their place on the steps of the Opera House just after dawn in photographer Spencer Tunick’s latest installation, Mardi Gras: The Base.
Mardi Gras festival executive producer Danielle Harvey said 5200 people, including sportspeople, doctors, teachers and retirees, had lined up to take part. “We were expecting 2000 or so … we’re absolutely thrilled,” Ms Harvey said.
Tan lines were the most prominent feature of the Australian line up, which whooped and cheered its way onto the Opera House forecourt in lines in cool, cloudy conditions.
Full Story from the Sydney Morning Herald
Click here for gay marriage resources.
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Posted in australia, diversity, Gay Marriage, gay rights, marriage equality, naked, nude, photoshoot, same sex marriage, sydney | No Responses »
Thursday, February 25th, 2010
The Australian Senate today rejected a bill to give equal marriage rights to gay citizens. The bill was introduced by the Greens but was defeated 45-5, just days before the world’s biggest gay celebration, Sydney Mardi Gras. Twenty-six senators were absent from the vote, with some of these choosing to abstain because they disagreed with their parties’ official stances against same-sex marriage.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, who introduced the bill, said: ”There may have been a group of senators voting to keep discrimination against same-sex couples being able to marry the one they love, but well over one-third of all senators were absent for the final vote, presumably the only form of protest open to them.”
Marriage equality campaigners claim that 60 per cent of Australian citizens support the right of gay couples to marry. Alex Greenwich of Australian Marriage Equality, said it was “arrogant” of Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd to “ignore” the public.
Full Story from Pink News
Click here for gay marriage resources in New York.
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Posted in australia, Gay Marriage, marriage equality, same sex marriage, senate vote | No Responses »
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
Gay and unmarried heterosexual couples will soon be able to sign up to a relationships register in New South Wales, designed to make it easier for them to access legal entitlements. The State Government has announced it is introducing legislation to create the register, modelled on those already in place in the ACT, Victoria and Tasmania.
NSW Attorney General John Hatzistergos says unlike the ACT, the state will not provide for civil unions. “The Commonwealth has the responsibility for marriage generally,” he said.
“What we’re trying to do here is provide a simple and dignified mechanism for people to be able to have their relationships recorded, whether they are same-sex or heterosexual, and to be able to facilitate access to the family court system, but also to various entitlements under state and federal law.”
Full Story from ABC News
Click here for gay marriage resources in Australia.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
Posted in australia, domestic partner registry, new south wales, NSW | No Responses »
Friday, February 19th, 2010
Tony Abbott likes to talk freely about sex so he should let his colleagues do the same on the issue of gay marriage, the Australian Greens say. A bill to alter the Marriage Act, introduced by Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young last year, is likely to be debated in the Senate next week.
The debate follows a record-breaking Senate inquiry, which received 27,000 submissions both for and against same-sex marriage. Senator Hanson-Young says it’s a hot topic that should be put to a conscience vote in the Senate. “Both Labor and the coalition have argued that same-sex marriage is a moral issue, so the bill should be treated that way,” she told AAP.
“And a free vote would allow MPs to express how they really feel.”
Full Story from Smh.com.au
Click here for gay marriage resources in Australia.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
Posted in australia, conscience vote, Gay Marriage, green party, marriage equality, same sex marriage, senate | No Responses »
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010
Some famous Australian faces have launched an awareness campaign about same-sex law reforms, but they say there is still plenty of work to be done. Celebrities both gay and straight today gathered on the steps of the Sydney Opera House to launch the Wear it with Pride campaign.
Singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Professor Kerryn Phelps were among the personalities in support of the changes and spoke about how the reforms had affected them personally.
The 85 reforms to Commonwealth Laws came into effect over the first half of last year, covering areas such as superannuation, employee entitlements and child support. Graeme Innes was the Australian human rights commissioner at the time the reforms were being negotiated and says they are meaningless unless people are aware of them.
Full Story from ABC News
Click here for gay marriage resources in Australia.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
Posted in australia, celebrities, Gay Marriage, marriage equality, same sex marriage, wear it with pride | No Responses »
Sunday, January 31st, 2010
Australia’s ban on same-sex marriage costs the Australian economy over $700 million according to figures released today by Australian Marriage Equality (AME). Using a simple formula developed by economists in the United States, AME has multiplied the average cost of weddings in Australia with the percentage of Australia’s same-sex couples who would marry if they had the choice.
The last Census indicated that there are at least 50,000 same-sex couples, however the Bureau of Statistics admits that the actual figure would higher than that due to the way information is recorded. “Not so Private Lives”, a recent national study conducted at the University of Queensland, showed that at least 53% of these couples would marry if they could. The ABS in 2007 calculated the average cost of a wedding at $28,000 (although recent studies have the figure as high as $49,000). When you pull these figures together you get an amount of $742,000,000.
AME’s figures are in line with recent US studies that have shown allowing same-sex marriage would generate US$200 million for the New Jersey economy over 3 years and US$21 million for the city of San Francisco in 1 year alone.
Full Story from Seeking Media
Click here for gay marriage resources in Australia.
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Posted in ame, australia, australian marriage equality, economic benefit, Gay Marriage, marriage equality, same sex marriage, study | No Responses »
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
The Australian Democrats have declared themselves ‘recommitted’ to fighting for the rights of same-sex couples to marry. National President of the Australian Democrats, Julia Melland, said this week there was no justification for Australia’s discriminatory marriage laws, and that it was time to stop telling gays and lesbians how to run their relationships.
“There is no justification for keeping Australian oppressed or as second class citizens on the basis of sexual orientation, the majority of Australians support gay marriage, and it does not impact on anyone else’s life at all if a same-sex couple are married,” she said.
“In short, I think it is time for those opposed to get over it and stop telling others how to live their lives.”
Full Story from SXNews
Click here for gay marriage resources in Australia.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
Posted in australia, democratic party, Gay Marriage, marriage equality, same sex marriage | No Responses »
Saturday, November 28th, 2009
Crowds have gathered in Australian cities calling for marriage equality after a bill to endorse gay unions was rejected by the Senate. A Senate inquiry into same-sex marriage on Friday dismissed the Greens’ marriage equality bill, while the ACT government this week struck a deal with the federal government to accept a civil union scheme.
Australian Marriage Equality spokesman Alex Greenwich said strong attendances by more than 2,000 people at rallies in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, ACT, Adelaide and Lismore on Saturday to launch a national year of action showed positive community support.
“I think the bill’s rejection has re-energised people’s commitment to marriage equality,” he told AAP. He said same-sex marriage could become a key issue in the lead-up to the next federal election.
Full Story from 9News: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=977223
Click here for gay marriage resources in Australia.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
Posted in act, adelaide, australia, brisbane, Gay Marriage, lismore, marriage equality, mlebourne, rallies, sydney | No Responses »
Thursday, November 26th, 2009
Gay marriage advocates’ hopes were deflated today with the long-awaited Committee of Inquiry into the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill report recommending against same-sex marriage. “The Committee recommends that the Bill not be passed,” the report stated.
The Committee said it believes the definition of marriage in the current Marriage Act is appropriate, however, it said other types of relationships play an important part in Australia and deserve recognition.
“For this reason, the Committee’s recommendation not to alter the definition of marriage should not be taken as a lack of support for same-sex couples,” the report stated.
Full Story from SSO: http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/2009/11/26/committee-says-no-to-marriage/18734
Click here for gay marriage resources in Australia.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
Posted in australia, committee vote, Gay Marriage | No Responses »
