The Australian Democrats are ashamed by the vote and debate yesterday on the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill, which sought to remove the prohibition against same-sex marriage. This bill, put forward by the Greens, is almost identical to the Democrats bill put forward in 2006.
National President of the Australian Democrats Julia Melland said the debate was particularly shameful, with Senator after Senator rising to say that they weren’t discriminating towards same sex couples, just opposing same-sex marriage.
"Of course it is discriminating against same sex couples and homosexual people generally to continue to ban same sex marriage. Saying you oppose same sex marriage but aren’t prejudiced against same sex couples is like saying you think Aboriginals are a lesser people but you aren’t racist."
Of particular offence was Senator Brandis' comments that this issue was not one of discrimination at all, and that throughout history marriage has always been defined as being between a man and a woman.
"Senator Brandis in particular, but others who continually speak about the definition of marriage as being between a man and a woman, owe the Australian public an apology for continuing to spout this falsehood. Marriage was not defined in Australian law as being between a man and a woman until John Howard changed the Marriage Act in 2004. That grievous wrong must be righted." Ms Melland said.
"The State has no right to define love, and certain leaders have no right to force their beliefs and 'definitions' on to the Australian people. As long as we are a secular state, then the Christian definition of marriage has no place in our laws and we should allow gay marriage immediately, lifting the second class status that currently burdens gay and lesbian Australians." Ms Melland said.
"At the very least, we owe other nations the respect of recognising marriages conducted legally within their jurisdictions." Ms Melland said the Australian Democrats will continue to fight for this basic right of passage that is being unfairly and unjustifiably denied to same sex couples in Australia.
Further:
Historically many societies have recognised same sex couples with the same legal standing as heterosexual couples. Legal recognition of couples has almost always been a matter of material possessions or other legal rights, with any religious element being only as an adjunct to the legal status.
Aristotle refers to peer to peer unions in Ancient Greece, same sex marriage contracts are noted as taking place in Canaan around 200-1500 BCE according to Rabbinic Jewish midrashic texts, and it was known to be common in Rome until Constantine specifically outlawed it in 342CE, and records from the Ming Dynasty in China indicate binding contracts between same sex couples.
More recently Native American tribes had a two-spirit marriage which was recognised as being exactly equal to a heterosexual union, and of course there are an increasing number of countries and jurisdictions recently legislating to specifically allow same-sex marriage.
Julia Melland
President, Australian Democrats
julia.melland@democrats.org.au
0431 357 585
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