Yesterday the House or Lords in Britain voted in favour of marriage equality, the legislation that will soon allow same-sex couples to marry in England and Wales will put Australia further behind on the social issue.  

The Marriage (Same Sex Couple) Bill has to pass back through the House of Commons for any final changes; it then has to be signed off by the Queen Elizabeth II to become officially law.

Baroness King welcomed the legislative change,

“I’ve honestly never felt so privileged in my life. It’s amazing to be able to get up and vote for people to have equal rights. I still can’t believe, in 2013, we really have to do that, but we do – and I’m there and, for once, the House of Lords was on it, they were all over it. I’m just absolutely thrilled.”

The National Convenor for Australian Marriage Equality, Rodney Croome, highlighted how Australia will soon become the only Western, English speaking country that hasn’t legislated marriage equality.

“If such a traditional and conservative chamber as the House of Lords can support marriage equality than Australia’s politicians have no excuses for not supporting it too.

“As if it’s not bad enough that Australian couples are forced to marry under the laws of another country, once they return to Australia their solemn vows of lifelong commitment count for nothing.”

A recent poll shows that same-sex marriage is a major political issue in Australia, 54% of young voters indicated they were more likely to vote for Labor due Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s stance in favour of marriage equality.

Nadine Walker