Major marriage equality rally announced for Perth

Get Up! and Australian Marriage Equality have announced a major rally in Perth to support marriage equality. The rally will be held on Sunday July 5th at 1pm at the Northbridge Piazza.

Most of the marriage equality rallies and marches in Perth have been organised by local group activist group Equal Love, but this event is being created by Get Up! and Australian Marriage Equality.

Sally Rugg, Human Rights Campaigner at Get Up! told OUTinPerth that the organisation has been getting great turnouts to its events in other states and is looking forward to the Perth rally. Rugg said people have shown that marriage equality is an issue that they want addressed.

“There’s a real appetite for it at the moment.” Ms Rugg said. “There’s a real hunger for it. Since the Irish referendum, Australia is the last English speaking developed country without equal rights. I think people have just had enough of waiting, and this momentum is really exciting!”

Over the last few weeks GetUp! and Australian Marriage Equality have staged successful rallies in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.

“They’ve been fantastic.” Ms Rugg said. “The rally in Canberra yesterday was absolutely beautiful with over 4000 people. We’re hoping that Perth will be even bigger.”

Ms Rugg said that while some Western Australian politicians were great supporters of marriage equality there were many other who had not declared their position on the issue.

“There’s quite a way to go in WA with getting the support of MPs.” Ms Rugg said, highlighting that effective rallies and people contacting politicians gets attention.

“They have a ripple effect, in the last few weeks we’ve seem MP after MP come out and switch their position to support marriage equality and it’s because people got in touch with them and explained why it matters to them.

“Its common knowledge that the majority of people support marriage equality, but people getting in touch with their elected representatives lets them know that we want it now.”

Love in Perth: Rally for Marriage Equality is at 1pm on Sunday July 5^th in Russell Square. Find out all the details on Facebook. The rally has been moved from it’s original localtion of the Northbridge Piazza after a large number of people indicated they would be attending.

OIP Staff