Surf Coast Council shows great leadership on marriage equality

Australian Greens LGBTIQ spokesperson Senator Janet Rice today congratulated Victoria’s Surf Coast Shire for its courageous and principled support of marriage equality.

There is a way out of the government’s awkward bickering with Australia’s top CEOs over marriage equality, say the Greens.

“Every section of society is crying out for marriage equality, yet the Prime Minister is being held back by the far right of his party,” said Australian Greens marriage equality spokesperson Senator Janet Rice.

“The easy way for this issue to be resolved is for Malcolm Turnbull to allow a free vote in the parliament and bring on marriage equality.”

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The Senate has delivered a consensus report on the government’s draft exposure marriage equality Bill, providing a path for marriage equality to happen in this Parliament.

“This unprecedented show of collaboration, negotiation and consensus has given us a way forward to achieve marriage equality in this Parliament,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ spokesperson and member of the Committee.

A Senate Inquiry has shown that equal marriage is possible in this term of Parliament, despite highlighting flaws in the federal government’s draft Bill.

“This Inquiry is another step in the journey towards marriage equality,” said the Greens LGBTIQ spokesperson Senator Janet Rice.

“We’ve heard from so many people and organisations that exemptions aren't needed to protect religious freedoms and would entrench discrimination.

“We would not allow conscientious objections for celebrants based on age or race, and we should not allow objections for gender or sexuality.

The Greens say that the 5-year-old Australian child known as Carla should have been allowed to choose their own gender at an appropriate time, rather than the Family Court approving gender assignment surgery.

“Liking the colour pink is no justification for enforcing gender assignment surgery on a 5-year-old,” said the Australian Greens LGBTIQ spokesperson Senator Janet Rice.

“Being intersex is not about sexual orientation or gender identity and expression. It is a question of biological variation.”

Senator SMITH (Liberal Party): I, and also on behalf of Senators Pratt and Rice, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

   (i) 1 December 2016 is World AIDS Day, which is held every year to raise awareness about the issues surrounding HIV and AIDS, and is a day for people to show their support for people living with HIV and to remember those who have died,

The Greens will join Labor and the crossbench to create a Senate inquiry on marriage equality and the Coalition government’s draft bill to amend the Marriage Act.

“Ditching the plebiscite has paved the way for the Parliament to decide on marriage equality,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ spokesperson.

“The only way we’re going to achieve marriage equality is through co-operation from all sides of Parliament.

“This is an opportunity for anyone with questions about the path forward for marriage equality to have them answered.