Sue Lines (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak in support of marriage equality, and I ask how much longer will LGTBI couples have to wait to be treated as fully equal citizens in my country? I believe in, and I stand for, human rights. I believe in, and I stand for, human dignity. I believe in, and I stand for, fairness. I believe in, and I stand for, justice. For as long as we do not change our laws to enable marriage for all of our citizens, we deny these basic human rights. I believe that children are entitled and have a right to a safe, secure loving environment, however that is provided; whether it is provided by a grandfather, a grandmother, a sole parent, a mother and a father, two men or two women, that is the entitlement of a child.

Australia has always been a leader in fairness and equity: the eight-hour day, the 38-hour week, our arbitration system, outlawing the death penalty, our pension system, our living wage, votes for women, no fault divorce and abortion. Yet, on this issue of marriage equality, we are stuck. We are not an overtly religious country; we have a separation of powers. We are not a conservative country. Yet on this very basic issue of human rights, on marriage equality, Australia is becoming the outlier.

Ireland's recent referendum—an overwhelming 'yes' vote—has reignited passions for marriage equality here in Australia. The conservative voices have been saying, 'Let us have a referendum here,' but of course Australia does not need a referendum to act on marriage equality. Ireland's constitution required a referendum. What is required here is for the parliament to act—for a majority of its 226 elected representatives to vote to support marriage equality. And it seems we are prevented from doing so.

The conservatives are pushing for us to wait. 'Wait for what?' I ask. We have been waiting far too long on this issue. The issue of marriage equality has been on the agenda for more than a decade. Overwhelmingly, Australians support marriage equality—one in every four Australians. Australians who identify as Christians support marriage equality. Fifty-seven per cent of Liberal voters support marriage equality. There is strong support from Labor and Greens voters. The strongest group of supporters are young Australians who have grown up in communities that support and want marriage equality; this group absolutely supports marriage equality, with the support as high as 86 per cent. No matter how you slice the numbers——by age, by voting preference, by religious affiliation—the support is there. But here in the Australian parliament just 226 elected representatives cannot or will not get it done. Given its strong support—86 per cent—amongst young people, the vote for marriage equality is inevitable. But come on—let us make this vote a reality sooner rather than later.

In Ireland just over 62 per cent of the population voted for marriage equality—and this is in a country where homosexuality was still illegal in 1993 and divorce was only legalised in 1996. It has come such a long way in a relatively short period of time, and yet, by comparison, Australia remains stuck, despite community support for marriage equality. It is just the Australian parliament, this place, which continues to isolate itself from the community and state jurisdictions.

State and territory governments have moved as far as they can. In 1994, the ACT was the first jurisdiction to legally recognise the unions of same-sex couples. In 1999 in New South Wales they introduced the recognition of same-sex couples in a variety of legislation. In WA, same sex couples had a de facto status in 2002 and the same in Queensland in 2002. The Northern Territory in 2003 recognised same-sex couples. And in 2004, LGBTI rights laws in Tasmania were described as perhaps the most extensive and noteworthy in the world. In 2007 in South Australia and in Victoria, same-sex couples were recognised. And yet the Australian parliament still remains stuck on this issue, when the state and territory governments have changed all of their laws that relate to same-sex couples. And around the world Australia is being left behind, with marriage equality laws being proclaimed in both progressive and conservative countries, with such laws in Nepal, Slovenia and Paraguay imminent, and, just recently, with Mexican courts ruling out of order the concept of marriage as just between a man and a woman.

So whilst those on the conservative side of politics tell us to continue to wait, I say: wait for what? This issue of marriage equality will not go away. The time to act is now.

I do not understand what the issue is. Marriage as a ceremony can be performed almost anywhere in Australia—in a church, a registry office or a winery, or on the beach. Extending this right, the right of marriage, to the LGBTI community does not change that. It does not affect the partnership between a man and a woman who choose marriage. It does not affect children.

I wanted my children to be brought up meeting people who were different and who had different views from me. I wanted them to be open. And they have a whole range of friends, as have I. That is the sort of upbringing that I wanted them to have—to be open and to choose to do whatever they thought suited them.

As to the relationship between a man and a woman, it is not threatened if we bring in marriage equality. Doing so does not undermine the church. It simply extends the same right of marriage to all. And, like all couples, some will choose marriage and some will not, but let us not deny this right to choose marriage equality any longer.