;)
tagged: Alex Greenwich, Australian Marriage Equality, Cath Bowtell, CNI, gay marriage, John Howard, Julia Gillard, Labor Party, Liberal Party, Marriage Equality, Politics, Prime Minister, Senate, Sexuality, Steven Hurd, Steven LewisLabor tries to stop overseas gay marriages
Posted by Claire Connelly in Politics, Sexuality
In a move that has saddened many members of the gay community Julia Gillard is firming her stance on gay marriage, by upholding legislation that would prevent Australian gay couples from marrying overseas.
“As if it’s not bad enough that the Government’s ban on same-sex marriages forces hundreds of Australians to marry overseas every year, often at great expense and without their families and friends present, the Government still wants to reach around the world in an effort to stop these Australians marrying,” says Australian Marriage Equality National Convener, Alex Greenwich.
Last week, the Gillard government informed marriage equality advocates that it would uphold the ban (born under the Howard Government), on issuing Australian same-sex couples the documents they need to marry overseas.
The move directly contradicts the finding of last year’s Senate inquiry which recommended that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issue Certificates of Non-Impediment to same sex couples that wish to get married overseas.
Alex Greenwich, said he is deeply disappointed by the Labor Party’s failure to abide by the Senate inquiry recommendation, and flagged a legal challenge to the ban.
“We are seeking legal advice about challenging the mean-spirited ban on CNIs for same-sex partners in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.”
A spokesperson for the Labor campaign says Prime Minister Gillard stands by her position.
“The Labor Party’s clear position is that marriage is between a man and a woman. This position will not be changing. The Government has made a number of historic reforms to remove discrimination for same-sex couples and we are proud of our record in that area.”
Alex Greenwich says that Labor cannot hide the fact that its gay marriage stance does not have popular support.
Several Labor candidates, including Cath Bowtell, candidate for the seat of Melbourne, candidate for the safe Liberal seat of Kooyong – Steven Hurd, and Wentworth candidate Steven Lewis declared their public support for marriage equality.
“We know the current Labor Party position is not too supportive [of gay marriage],” Steven Hurd told news.com.au.
“I don’t see the point in creating all this legislation to remove discrimination and then stopping short of allowing the same rights to marry as straight people.”
“This is about love, and giving love dignity.”
Follow us on twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/SocialScapegoat
http://www.twitter.com/ClaireRConnelly
;)
;)
;)
You can still marry in CANADA without a CNI. They do not require one.
If you have been previously married they just require a divorce certificate.
You can also marry quite easily in the State of Connecticut in the USA…
Yeah, I think that’s right about Canada. I’m an Australian, but I got married there in 1991 (to a woman). Next time I’m planning on marrying another man in Canada!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tal Rotbart, Adam!, Mason Browne, Lauren Clair, Claire Connelly and others. Claire Connelly said: Labor tries to stop overseas gay marriage: http://bit.ly/bF9P5s [...]
Awful policy definitely, but has there actually been anything new on this, or is it being based around this article from January 2006: http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/gays-hit-in-overseas-nuptial-bid/2006/01/13/1137118970292.html
FAIL! Lost my vote.
massive labour fail.. and just as I was begining to like Julia
The labor and liberal party are currently far too similar. We need a 3 party preferred system (i.e. Labor, Liberal, Greens) in Australia if we truly want progress and change. The Greens have my vote, but hopefully they get enough support to make an impact on this issue.
Let them try to stop me!
Claire – I can find absolutely nothing to support this. I remember when this tried happening under Ruddock and it got overturned. AME have not groaned on about it as far as I can see, although they may have just not gotten around to updating their website. None of the gay press have anything going, and do you honestly believe that Rodney Croome wouldn’t have put something on his website about this?
Would be interested to see the source of this; Both my boyfriend and I have had letters in SMH published on this subject before so don’t think I’m not sympathetic.
I just can’t see any supporting evidence,
Oh horray! Can’t wait for my trip to Canada, I guess the airfares and accomodation are just going to have to come out of the dress and champagne budget
but hey, no woman wants to feel TOO special on their happy day, now do they? that would just be selfish…..
What a joke. What century are we living in again?
We shouldn’t be forced to go overseas to get married…. We should just be able to do it here in Australia. It’s a bit sad that a seemingly forward thinking country is so backwards when it comes to recognizing same sex couples.
My husband and I married in Ontario, Canada, last October and did not need a CNI. To top it off we were married by Catholic lay-clergy. Australia really should add some banjos to its national anthem.
Its times like these that i’m glad to be a kiwi.
I am an Australia living in Germany, with plans to marry my partner in the next few months.
He is German, but was raised in Kenya where homosexuality is still illegal…….but, if a referendum passes on Friday, we understand that it will be decriminalized and that overseas same sex marriages (ours for instance) will be recognised within Kenya.
It’s disappointing….and to be honest, embarassing that Australia is so backward. Leaders like Whitlam, Fraser and Hawke all seem quite “revolutionary” now in comparison to the religious conservativeness that was allowed to flourish under Howard’s pseudo-Menzian reign.
Haha, no, scratch that, poor reading on my part. Leapt into action after seeing a few other people on Twitter expressing outrage over The Age piece. Feel free to moderate that bad boy out of existence…
Australia is becoming a joke with respect to this issue, and I say that as an Aussie! Oh to be Canadian, or even better – European…
[...] Prime Minister of the UK is not opposed to marriage equality, the Australian Labor Party works to make things even worse for gay Australians: Last week, the Gillard government informed marriage equality advocates that it would uphold the [...]
So Labor make some small concession with the left hand and stamp it out with the right. I had no idea we had a choice of voting Libral (male prime minister) or Libral (female prime minister) this election. Aren’t we supposed to have two distinct parties to choose from?
Get with the times and get archaic church morals out of government!
In Norway i used a single status certificate issued by NSW gov not with a Non-Impediment certificate
If only we could all afford to travel to Canada or Connecticut.
Thank you everyone for all of your thoughtful comments.
It is shameful that in the year 2010, a democratic country like Australia, with a supposedly progressive government is still barring the homosexual community from the same rights to marriage as the rest of Australia.
To Bernard and Luke: It would not be very journalistic of me to divulge my sources, but rest assured we check all of our stories before publishing them to ensure their accuracy and relevancy. And of course we absolutely do not recycle content from other papers, (we only rip them apart *ahem* I mean analyse, satirise, and critique them on occasion – with attribution of course)
Thank you all for your feedback and we hope you will continue to support Social Scapegoat keep the bastards honest.
C
This is absolutely disgusting! As a proud member of the gay community I am ashamed to consider myself Australian! You will NOT be receiving my vote or anyone I knows vote! What right does te government have to tell me my love cannot be declaired and allowed to unite in marriage! I want to know how the hell a damn athiest was sworn in to become prime minister???? Answer that you arrogant, ignorent pathetic excuse for a government! Do I judge the prime minister for been athiest? NO- your lifestyle has nothing to do with me so why judge me? Labor has such an opportunity to prove us wrong and show true, pure leadership and yet again has failed! When will labor realise they are spreading so much hate! Hypocrits!! You disgust me and at least 40% of of the country HATE you Julia! Good job!
I am now officially ashamed to be Austryan!!
With Kenya now legalising gay marriage!
what kind of a laughing stock are we to the rest of the world,
Canada looks like a great place to live!!!!
Please join my facebook group…
http://www.facebook.com/?sk=2361831622#!/group.php?gid=119383288098311
We will change this.. I recently married my wife in canada and am committed to fighting this governement until equaility is achieved..
xx
“The Government has made a number of historic reforms to remove discrimination for same-sex couples and we are proud of our record in that area.”
Ok this just makes me bloody laugh!!!
The ONLY reforms they have made to ‘recognize gay couples’ is so they can tax us the same as everyone else. This is a joke.
This makes me not very proud to be an Australian!
Julia needs to focus on the ECONOMY instead of just being a total bitch.