Senate Committee rejects same-sex 'marriage'

Lesbian_18508474_ The good news is that the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee has recommended that same-sex 'marriages' not be allowed in Australia!

Homo_18508948_ The Committee, which had been asked to investigate the Greens proposal to legalise same-sex marriages, presented its Report to parliament yesterday, 26 November.

The Committee received submissions and held public hearings.

There were 81 submissions from organisations - 36 opposed, 44 in favour.

There were also 15,979 submissions/letters from individuals opposing the bill and 5,574 from individuals supporting the bill.
This is an even bigger response than the 2004 inquiry into marriage!

We are thankful that the Committee has rejected the proposal to change the Marriage Act to allow homosexuals to marry.

Two other recommendations

However, the Committee also recommends "that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issue Certificates of Non-Impediment to couples of the same sex on the same basis as they are issued for couples of different sexes".

This means that same-sex couples who want to 'marry' overseas could be given a certificate by the government to assist them in establishing their ability to 'marry'.

The third recommendation is that the government review the recognition of homosexual relationships with the "aim of developing a nationally consistent framework to provide official recognition for same sex couples and equal rights under federal and state laws."

Of course, that is Labor Party policy. We note that the words 'relationship registers' and 'mimic' marriage' are both gone! The Attorney General is now talking about civil partnerships - since the ACT already has this form of relationship recognition.

Comment

We congratulate the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee for their decision to reject same-sex 'marriage' in Australia.

However, we reject the other two recommendations from the Committee, as did Tasmanian Liberal Senator Guy Barnett in his Dissenting Report.
We thank Senator Barnett for his report.

The Report can be read on the Committee's website - click here.
The major submissions are all posted there as well.

In our December journal we will have a more detailed report - including information on submissions from various groups.