Australia: Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (GLRL) welcomes marriage equality inquiry

24 Jan 2012

The Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (NSW) welcomes the recent announcement by Senator Sarah Hanson Young to refer the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee.

Recent polls indicate that over 60 percent of Australians support giving same-sex couples the right to marry.

GLRL Co-Convenor Lainie Arnold said the inquiry is "an important step to reflect the broad constituency of support for equality" and applauded the work already done by GLRL members and its partner organisations and coalitions to have this issue put on the 2012 policy agenda.

Justin Koonin, GLRL Co-Convenor added, "marriage equality is an issue of fairness and justice for all Australians" adding that the inquiry "makes the pursuit of allies from across the political spectrum an imperative."

On an international level, Canada, Argentina, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, South Africa and six US states now grant the right to marry to same-sex couples.

The GLRL strongly urges all those who support removing discrimination to write into the inquiry and emphasise the social and legal importance of marriage equality.

Mr Koonin stated that, "there is still plenty of work to be done, but at least the path ahead is clear. It is time to end the discrimination. It is time to recognise the dignity of our sexuality and the depth of our relationships."