Julia Gillard has sparked controversy following her change in position on same-sex marriage, with critics saying that she should have acted when she was in power. People have been lashing out at Gillard after she gave a speech at Victoria University, where she declared that she is now in support of same-sex marriage….
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Pop your champagne bottles and kiss the closest same-sex friend, because according to this breaking news from Yahoo, gay marriage is pretty much legal in Australia! That’s right, same sex marriage in Australia is ‘almost certain to become law’ after sources reported that the ‘people’s vote’ is probably going to be a plebiscite vote…
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The United States Supreme Court has made a landmark decision to find same sex marriage is a constitutional right for all American citizens. The finding from the 5-4 vote in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges covers all 50 American states and the territory of Puerto Rico. The decision effectively overturns laws in the nation’s…
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Deputy Leader for the Opposition, Tanya Plibersek, introduced a private members’ bill last Tuesday morning aimed at legalising gay marriage in Australia. This bill was an effort designed to pressure Prime Minister Tony Abbott into deciding on whether Government MPs will be allowed a conscience vote. A conscience vote (or free vote) is where legislators…
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At our recent Lip-readings event in Canberra on January 24, Celebrant and writer Judy Aulich gave the following speech. Judy married 11 same-sex couples during the five-days in which it was legal in the ACT. Her talk was moving and powerful, and we’re excited to share it with you here. During New Year I was…
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Today, Scotland has become the 17th country to legalise same-sex marriage! The first Scottish same-sex weddings can now take place in October, after the vote passed parliament 105 to 18. The parliament also voted down several attempts to amend the bill to protect the rights/interests of religious celebrants who opposed the law. Scottish health secretary,…
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The High Court has delivered a blow to the first same sex couples wed on Australian soil, deciding the Australian Capital Territory’s Marriage Equality Act cannot co-exist with the Commonwealth Marriage Act. The six justices of the High Court found same sex marriages could not be recognised in accordance with the federal government’s constitutional powers…
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In late October, the ACT Legislative Assembly passed a law allowing same-sex couples to get married. The first weddings under the new law are due to take place next Saturday and today, the High Court has heard the Commonwealth’s challenge to the new marriage law. The main question under review is whether or not the…
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Governor General Quentin Bryce has caused public discussion to be re-ignited over several hotly debated topics, following a speech delivered as part of the ABC Boyer Lecture series in Sydney over the weekend. In the key quote of Bryce’s speech, the Governor General called for an Australia ‘where people are free to love and marry…
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Last night the Scottish Parliament voted 98 – 15 to move a same-sex marriage bill forward to the parliamentary committee. Ministers told the BBC that the move was ‘the right thing to do.’ The bill passed on its first reading, allowing it to be moved to the Equal Opportunities Committee, where lawmakers will consider amendments…
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Texas judge rules new abortion restrictions unconstitutional. Despite Wendy Davis’ 11-hour filibuster blocking a super restrictive anti-abortion law in Texas, the law passed in July, banning abortions after 20 weeks and requiring doctors to perform abortions at special facilities. But the good news is that this week a judge ruled that the new regulations are…
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Even if it’s short lived, I’m pretty chuffed that the ACT has legalised same-sex marriage. My celebratory mood has inspired this column, and a conversation I was having a couple of days ago, where a friend and I were trying to name all the countries it was legalised in. We couldn’t even come up with…
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The ACT’s legislative assembly has passed a bill to establish Australia’s first same-sex marriage scheme. The legislation passed eight votes to seven in the single chamber Parliament. The bill’s passage was met with applause, and made the ACT so much cooler in the eyes of many. If the bill is not overruled by the High…
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The ACT Government has introduced legislation into the Legislative Assembly to allow same-sex marriage in the territory. If the bill passes it will be the first State or Territory in Australia to approve same sex marriage laws. But even now there is speculation that the Federal Government will mount a High Court challenge. The bill…
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