[Greens-Media] Greens Challenge Premier on Marriage Equality

[Franks, Office]

Greens' Gender and Sexuality spokesperson, Tammy Franks MLC, will be speaking at the Equal Marriage Rally tomorrow on SA Parliament House steps at 1pm as part of a National Day of Action across Australia in support of marriage equality.
"On the eighth anniversary of the former Howard government's changes to the Marriage Act excluding same sex couples from marrying, the ideal of marriage equality is now closer than ever before," Ms Franks said.

"The most recent Galaxy poll has shown 2/3 of Australians support the right for same sex couples to be able to marry their partners. Overwhelmingly the majority of Australian people support marriage equality and oppose the continued discrimination and homophobia that blights the lives of same sex-attracted citizens.

"It's encouraging that Tasmania has led the way at a state level announcing it will legislate to remove discrimination from marriage and thus seize the 'first mover advantage'. This in turn will see that state receive an economic boost from the lucrative 'pink dollar' wedding and tourist industry - estimated to be as much as $96million according to authoritative studies from the Williams Institute.

"I'm pleased that Premier Jay Weatherill has sent a message of support to his Tasmanian counterparts, as recent news shows yet another world leader, in this case New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, throwing his support behind marriage equality, joining US President Barrack Obama.

"If the Premier if serious about his commitment to Marriage Equality he should seek advice from the Crown Solicitors Office on the Greens' Marriage Equality Bill and make it publicly available.

"I'm certain that it's not a matter of if marriage equality will happen, but of when it will happen. Today on the steps of Parliament House and all around Australia we are a part of history in the making.

"While the three Equal Marriage bills* currently before the federal parliament received an unprecedented level of support from recent public consultations, if the federal government can't or won't act, I've indicated that I'll then be bringing my state marriage equality bill to a vote in SA when Parliament resumes," Ms Franks concluded.

Tammy Franks MLC and Senator Sarah Hanson-Young will both be speaking at the Equal Marriage rally.

*Put forward by Greens' Sarah-Hanson Young and Adam Bandt, MP and Labor's Steven Jones, MP


 For further comment contact Jamnes Danenberg on 0457 549 938