Marriage Equality

We all define ourselves in some way by who we chose to share our lives with.  Love, trust, intimacy and commitment are found at the heart of all good relationships.

I am very proud to live in a community like Canberra that encourages, empowers and protects couples who want to make their relationships loving, who want to make them long-term, stable and committed.  Our civil partnerships legislation has allowed this.

I am left wondering though why it is that same sex partners are not able to stand up in front of their family and friends and to receive the formal blessing of the Commonwealth for their union through marriage.

Gays and lesbians are part of our community, we are not nameless, faceless people, we deserve respect and the same dignity that is afforded to others, and we deserve equality.

Marriage equality is not only functional and practical, it is highly symbolic.  It allows us to hold our heads up high as equal members of the community and to celebrate our relationships.

I can see no good argument for allowing only opposite sex couples to formalise and celebrate their relationships through marriage and then to deny that right to same sex couples.

I often hear those who oppose equal marriage talk about its alleged dire effect on families. This ignores the fact that gay men and women have families too. We are sons and daughters, we are brothers and sisters, we are cousins, we are aunts, we are uncles and we are parents.

So let me say how pleased I am that the ACT Branch will seize the opportunity today to support equal marriage and to plainly say that no one deserves to be excluded from this institution simply because of his or her sexual orientation.

This is about drawing a line in the sand. It is about standing up for your principles.

Marriage equality is about giving every Australian citizen the same rights. At the moment gay and lesbian people have lesser rights. Most of you in this room, if not all of you, would know a gay or lesbian person. You might work with them, they could be a family member, they could be a neighbour. Gays and lesbians are members of our community just like everyone else.  

We are public servants, police officers, nurses, cleaners, mechanics, bus drivers, truck drivers, construction workers, small business owners, electricians, ambulance officers, lawyers, defence force personnel and, yes, we are RETAIL workers.

We are interested in the same issues as everyone else -- job opportunities; a well resourced health system; quality education; good effective public transport and roads; action on climate change and a strong economy.

Marriage equality is about giving us the same rights as everyone else.  State and Territory, or even national, civil union schemes don't achieve that.  They have been a welcome advance on what stood before - no legal recognition at all - but they do continue to see us as second-class citizens.   

Not really equal and certainly very separate.

By saying yes to marriage equality, you are saying yes to the many sons and daughters, parents, uncles and aunts, nephews and nieces, cousins and friends having the same rights as you.

Supporting marriage equality is supporting equal rights for all Australians.

Delegates, marriage equality is not only a human rights issue; but follows in a long line of important social justice reforms made by Labor Governments throughout Australian history.

Reforms brought about by collective action from the Labor Party.

We are at our best as a political party when we work together to make our country a fairer and more inclusive place.

In closing, I would like to thank delegates who are supporting this motion today. 

Every vote counts, every message of support counts in this national debate.

Support for this motion today represents another step towards the removal of discrimination that is intensely felt by Australians who have been living in long-term, loving, same-sex relationships and those who aspire to such relationships.

It will help ensure that all Australians, regardless of their sexual orientation, are shown the dignity and respect to which they are entitled.