Is Australia Heading Toward Marriage Equality?

by Michael Jones · 2009-07-31 06:08:00 UTC
Topics:

Australia same-sex marriage

Earlier this week, Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made clear that he will not support altering Australia's ban on same-sex marriage.  But despite Rudd's rhetoric, activists are gearing up for what will be the largest demonstrations in support for marriage equality in the country's (nay, continent's?) history, and the Prime Minister's own Labor party is debating this weekend whether or not to add marriage equality to the party's national policy platform.

LGBT rights groups across the continent are preparing for a weekend National Day of Action for Same-Sex Marriage, which will see rallies occur in several cities - from Sydney to Melbourne - in support of marriage equality.  Activists are even topping their rallies off with a Mass Illegal Same-Sex Wedding.  In Sydney, already more than 60 couples have registered to participate as a sign of protest against Australia's ban on same-sex marriage.

Here's what Martin Baldock, co-convener of the events in Melbourne this weekend, had to say about the weekend rally:

Momentum is building for change across the country.  60 per cent of Australians now support marriage equality...We’re calling on delegates at the ALP national conference in Sydney to [do the same].

Indeed, members of the Rainbow Labor party - the LGBT subsection of the Labor party - are working fast and furious behind the scenes to lobby party politicos to change their position on Australia's national marriage policy. Rainbow Labor's Matthew Loader said that tweaking the party's position to recognize some form of relationship for Australian same-sex couples is imperative.

It's actually really important for the Labor Party to show that it recognises community sentiment.  [To show it's] fully in support of recognition of same-sex couples and to adopt a policy position that allows the Federal Government, in its next term in office, to legislate to allow same-sex couples to register their unions in a way which prevents them from having to go to court in a disputatious environment.

Whether or not the official party business happens this weekend or not is up in the air, but the massive demonstrations are taking place regardless.  And they'll be sure to fan the flames of the pro-marriage equality movement in Australia.  If it's true that the country is already 60 percent in favor of marriage equality, then it's just a question of when, not if, same-sex marriage will become law 'down under.'

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.
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