Marriage Equality Campaign urges communities in NSW to join together and say ‘YES’ to marriage equality

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Campaigners for marriage equality have united to urge all NSW residents to check their enrolment details with the Australian Electoral Commission before midnight August 24.

Longstanding LGBTI rights organisations, grassroots campaigners and politicians have combined to support the ‘YES’ campaign and to ensure people have registered to have their say.

“We strongly urge members of the community to make sure you’re enrolled, and that your details are up to date with the Australian Electoral Commission by visiting their website,” Lauren Foy, Convenor of the NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby said.

While universally condemning the idea of using a non-compulsory postal survey, advocates acknowledged that, subject to a successful High Court challenge, the community will need to participate in the postal survey.

“There is momentum behind marriage equality but like with the Brexit vote in the UK, we are strongly urging everyone not to be complacent,”  Ms Foy said.

Ms Foy also urged communities to engage in local events, speak to friends, family, colleagues, neighbours and strangers to advocate for marriage equality.

“LGBTI groups are united in this message – now is the time for Australia to embrace marriage equality” she said.

“Now is not the time to be silent – now is the time to make your voice heard. This is not only about marriage, about love, and equality – it is also about the direction of our nation.

“Do we want a stronger nation that embraces more freedom, respect and tolerance for all Australians? If you do then get involved – don’t sit on the sidelines.”

Ms Foy urged the community to attend a QandA discussion about the campaign and what you can do to be on the bright side of history.

Speakers include:

Alex Greenwich Co-Chair Australian Marriage Equality

Hon. Tanya Plibersek Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Shadow Minister for Education and Shadow Minister for Women

Jenny Leong MP Member for Newtown

Tiernan Brady Director The Equality Campaign

Lauren Foy Convenor NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby

Sally Rugg Campaign Director GetUp!

RSVP for the Event Here

NSWGLRL CALLS ON YOU TO ENROL FOR EQUALITY

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The NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (NSWGLRL) today welcomed the decision of the Australian Senate to reject – again – the Federal Government’s plebiscite proposal.

But Convenor of the NSWGLRL, Lauren Foy, warned that the path ahead for marriage equality supporters will require even greater energy, passion and persistence than their efforts up to now.

“We unequivocally condemn the idea of using a non-compulsory postal survey vote – a postal ‘plebiscite’ – especially when it has no power to compel MPs to vote according to the result.

“But we acknowledge a postal vote could still become reality, depending on the success of the High Court challenge announced yesterday,” Ms Foy said.

She continued, “we strongly urge members of the community to make sure your enrolment and residential address is up to date with the Australian Electoral Commission by visiting their website – and to do this NOW before the enrolment period closes.”

“You won’t receive your voting form in the mail unless you update your enrolment.”

“We hope that a postal vote doesn’t go ahead but if it does we want to make sure the community is ready. A postal vote campaign will need all of our energy and passion to bring the nation with us on the journey to equality.”

POSTAL PLEBISCITE A NEW LOW IN MORE THAN 100 YEARS OF AUSTRALIAN LAW-MAKING

Ms Foy then criticised the remarkable precedent being set by the proposed postal survey, and the failure of politicians to protect the law-making traditions and institutions of Australia.

“The current Government says the 1977 national anthem poll is a precedent for a postal plebiscite – but it’s abundantly clear this proposal is a new low in more than one hundred years of law-making in Australia.

“Subjecting the legal and civil rights of a minority group to a national opinion poll is in no way comparable to changing our national anthem,” she said.

Ms Foy said the careless destruction of the law-making traditions and institutions of Australia represents a clear and present danger to social cohesion in a diverse modern Australia.

“If a government, without blinking, can propose a multimillion dollar plebiscite on the civil rights of the LGBTI community, then what’s to stop us from holding a plebiscite or postal survey on freedom of religious expression? Or on which migrants can enter Australia? Or on the salaries of politicians?

“If this wasn’t about gay rights then have no doubt – there would be more politicians and loud- mouthed commentators speaking out against this idea, especially those who claim they defend our institutions and traditions,” Ms Foy stated.

“A multimillion dollar straw poll on the legal and civil rights of a minority is unprecedented and stomach-turning – and this situation is so twisted that marriage equality advocates are fighting harder to keep our law-making traditions than some outspoken conservatives.

“The High Court ruled the only way this can be resolved is in the Parliament, and that’s where this debate should rightfully be held,” Ms Foy concluded.

ENDS

NSWGLRL welcomes the release of the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Bill 2017

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The NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (NSWGLRL) welcomes this Bill and its attempt to find a compromise proposal the current Parliament can support. This reform to the Marriage Act is long overdue and much too important to be delayed any longer.

However, it has been the longstanding position of the NSWGLRL that there should be no religious exemptions in the treatment of LGBTI persons where a service is provided by, or on behalf of, the Australian Government.

The proposed Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Bill 2017 appears to offer current marriage celebrants a legal protection to refuse to marry gay and lesbian couples based solely on a personal religious belief [see: Section 39 DD (2), and Section 47 A]. This new exemption would also apply to straight couples.

NSWGLRL does not support this new encroachment of personal religious beliefs into the provision of services supplied by Government-authorised celebrants who are not Ministers of Religion.

Despite this imperfection the Bill has every chance of succeeding in Parliament if there is a conscience vote – and there should be no excuse for further delay or rejection of this Bill by the current Parliament.

The recent Senate Committee inquiry into marriage equality rose above party politics and showed that political parties can work together to deliver the will of the Australian people.

The NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (NSWGLRL) is the leading organisation for lesbian and gay rights in NSW. Established in 1988, our mission is to achieve substantive legislative and social equality for lesbians, gay men and their families.

NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby takes your heart to Canberra

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The NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby will create a giant sea of hearts outside Parliament House on Tuesday 8 August 2017, with each heart containing a message of support of same-sex marriage collected over a decade of campaigning.

One of the famous hearts from the annual ‘Sea of Hearts’ display at Mardi Gras Fair Day, Camperdown NSW.

In 2005, the NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby placed a number of pink cardboard hearts at Victoria Park in Camperdown, NSW, protesting against the then Government’s ban on same-sex marriage which was enacted a year earlier.

The campaign became known as the ‘Sea of Hearts’ and served as one of the most potent symbols of LGBTI activism and equality used by equal rights supporters in Sydney and around the world.

It was the first national campaign in Australia to demand marriage equality.

“Politicians from across the political spectrum have come together every year since then, writing their own messages of love, hope and support for marriage equality.” says Lauren Foy, Convenor of NSWGLRL.

“It’s quite timely that in August over a decade later, NSWGLRL take the 12 years’ worth of messages from our communities, to the lawns of Parliament House to create a mass ‘Sea of Hearts’ – The time for Parliament to act is now and so we stand united with our communities in pushing forward for fairness.”

NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby is extending a warm invitation to community members to come along and show your support for marriage equality. Place a heart in GLRL’s inaugural Sea of Hearts on Parliament House Lawn, this Tuesday to show your support for marriage equality”.

The sea of hearts will coincide with the Coalition party room in which it is expected the issue of a free vote on marriage equality will be discussed.

“Planting a heart is a symbol of good will and encouragement before the Coalition meets to discuss a way forward for marriage equality, for all Australians.

Now that’s over, let’s get on with making marriage equality a reality for all Australians

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Australians have avoided an expensive, divisive, damaging and unnecessary marriage equality plebiscite after today’s defeat of legislation in the Senate, and the New South Wales Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby says it’s now time to get down to business.

Continue reading “Now that’s over, let’s get on with making marriage equality a reality for all Australians” →