UPDATE:
All Australians will have the opportunity to formally make comment on the Green’s 2010 Marriage Equality Amendment Bill as it has been referred to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee of the Senate. The Committee is to hold an inquiry into Marriage Equality and is to report back to the Senate with its findings by May 25, 2012.
Senator Sarah Hanson Young, who introduced the bill, said in a statement released yesterday that sending the bill to committee was an effort to swing the votes of undecided MPs in favour of marriage equality, adding that,
‘It’s our hope that hearing after directly from same-sex couples, their friends and families, there will be enough support from both major parties for a conscience vote on changing the law.’
Of the major parties currently only the ALP has indicated it will allow a conscience vote.
The Committee which will conduct the inquiry into the Marriage Amendment Bill is chaired by Senator Penny Wright (SA, Greens) and the deputy chair is Trish Crossin (NT, ALP). Sue Boyce (QLD, Liberal), Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal ), Mark Furner (QLD, ALP) and Gary Humphries (ACT, Liberal) are also members. There are also 59 Senators who are ‘participating members’ of the committee which enables them to participate in the work of the committee however does not confer voting rights. Advocates for marriage equality Senators Sarah Hanson-Young , Louise Pratt and Bob Brown are amongst this group.
Published Jan 24th 2012
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young today announced that the Greens will be referring their 2010 Marriage Equality Bill to a Senate inquiry.
‘Sending it to an inquiry will let MPs raise questions and suggest amendments because we know there are still members of parliament who have yet to make up their minds,’ Sen. Hanson-Young said.
According to Sen. Hanson-Young, an inquiry would give the community an opportunity to express their support for gay marriage to their Members of Parliament and allow undecided MPs to seek further information on same-sex marriage.
Alex Greenwich, speaking on behalf of Australian Marriage Equality, reiterated Sen. Hanson-Young’s position saying;
‘It’s time for an in-depth inquiry into marriage equality that looks at key issues of concern for MPs including the protection of religious freedoms, the inadequacy of civil unions, the mental health impacts of discrimination and the impact of same-sex marriage overseas.
‘There was an inquiry in 2009 but that was when both major parties opposed the issue and the final report was brief and not very useful.
‘Three years on, far more countries have introduced marriage equality, far more compelling research has been done and far more is known about the positive impacts it has on marriage and on society.
A Senate inquiry will provide the time and the evidence required to win the hearts and minds of undecided Coalition and Labor MPs.’
A further statement in support of an inquiry was also issued by Brisbane psychologist Paul Martin, who outlined the mental health benefits of marriage equality saying;
‘The inquiry will provide an opportunity to put forward the evidence strongly linking marriage equality and better mental health.’,
While the national convenor of PFLAG, Shelley Argent OAM, offered a parent’s perspective saying;
‘As a parent of a gay male I believe this Marriage Inquiry will show that no individual or group (religious or otherwise) can or will be negatively affected, but my son and others in the gay community can only benefit by having their relationships recognised and validated by society as a whole.’
It is unclear at this stage whether the proposal will be accepted by the Senate, however Sen. Hanson-Young has called on Labor and the Coalition to support the referral.
OIP Staff
