Tasmania’s parliament could be the first Australian parliament to support gay marriage as it debates supporting same-sex marriage today.
The debate is underway and so far the Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings (pictured) has spoken in support for the marriage equality while Opposition Leader Will Hodgman has announced the Liberal Party will not support it.
Rodney Croome, a Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, said Tasmania’s politicians were telling Australia that marriage was about love and not discrimination.
‘We welcome Labor Party support for the marriage equality motion because if passed the motion will send a strong message to the Federal Government that it is time for equality across the nation’, Croome said.
‘Tasmania’s politicians are saying to the rest of the country that marriage is about love, not discrimination.
‘They are also saying Tasmania has well and truly moved on from being the last Australian state to decriminalise homosexuality to being at the forefront of equality for same-sex couples.’
Australian Marriage Equality, National Convener, Alex Greenwich, who is in Hobart to promote the economic benefits to Tasmania of allowing same-sex marriages.
‘Should Tasmania be the first to move on Marriage Equality, it can also expect a windfall’, Greenwich said.
‘Today, Australian Marriage Equality released a study showing Tasmania is set to benefit by as much as $136 million if it is the first state to allow same-sex marriages.’
‘The survey shows 87% of Australian same-sex partners would marry in Tasmania if it was the first state to allow same-sex marriages and that 60% would spend over $10,000 on their Tasmanian wedding and honeymoon.’
‘Should the Federal Government not act and Tasmania goes it alone becoming the first state in Australia with same-sex marriage; it can expect to benefit from a massive economic windfall similar to US states which have pioneered on this issue.’
But Australian Christian Lobby Tasmanian director said marriage shouldn’t be redefined since discrimination against same-sex couples had been removed already.
‘It is sad to see the Labor so eager to jump on this bandwagon when only last month it was clearly demonstrated in Federal Parliament, through MPs responses to Adam Bandt’s motion, that the majority of Australians, and Tasmanians for that matter, do not support changes to the definition of marriage,’ Mr Brown said.
‘Discrimination against same-sex couples has rightly been removed but that doesn’t mean marriage should be redefined.’
Benn Dorrington
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