MARRIAGE EQUALITY SENATE INQUIRY “WINNABLE WAY FORWARD”. Inquiry welcomed

AUSTRALIAN MARRIAGE EQUALITY

Media Release
Tuesday January 24th 2012

ADVOCATES DECLARE MARRIAGE EQUALITY SENATE INQUIRY “WINNABLE WAY FORWARD”

Advocates for marriage equality say a Senate inquiry into same-sex marriage will help navigate the issue through the current deadlock that would see it voted down if brought to a vote.

Labor has allowed its members a conscience vote but Tony Abbott’s refusal to allow Coalition members the same freedom means proposed marriage equality bills from Labor backbencher Stephen Jones and from the Greens are set for certain defeat.

Australian Marriage Equality national convener, Alex Greenwich, said an inquiry is necessary to address concerns among Coalition members about reform, as well as examine new research that has emerged since the last inquiry in 2009.

“It’s time for an in-depth inquiry into marriage equality that looks at key issues of concern for MPs including the protection of religious freedoms, the inadequacy of civil unions, the mental health impacts of discrimination and the impact of same-sex marriage overseas”.

“There was an inquiry in 2009 but that was when both major parties opposed the issue and the final report was brief and not very useful.”

“Three years on, far more countries have introduced marriage equality, far more compelling research has been done and far more is known about the positive impacts it has on marriage and on society.”

“A Senate inquiry will provide the time and the evidence required to win the hearts and minds of undecided Coalition and Labor MPs.”

“It is the winnable way forward.”

In 2009 the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs committee conducted an inquiry into Senator Hanson-Young’s marriage equality amendment bill.

Since then the number of places that allow same-sex marriages has more than doubled, the American and Australian psychological associations have endorsed reform, and a range of studies into the social and economic impacts of reform have been published.

Australian churches have also raised concerns about the impact of marriage equality on their religious freedoms that were not addressed in 2009.

PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LESBIANS AND GAYS

30 Helen Street, Teneriffe QLD 4006
PO Box 1372, Eagle Farm BC QLD 4009
Email: pflagbris@hotmail.com
Phone: 07 3017 1739 or 0409 363 335
ABN 56 354 724 462

PFLAG Parents Welcome Marriage Inquiry

Media Release
24th January, 2012

As National Spokesperson for parents with lesbian daughters and gay sons, I congratulate Sarah Hanson Young for having the foresight to call for this Inquiry into marriage equality. The Inquiry will now be able to successfully address the concerns of those who oppose equality of our sons and daughters.

The Inquiry will be able to address the new research that has come out since 2009 and the last Inquiry. It will also show that countries with marriage equality have doubled since 2009 and that these countries’ moral codes and religious ethics have not been impaired with the introduction of marriage equality.

As a parent of a gay male I believe this Marriage Inquiry will show that no individual or group (religious or otherwise) can or will be negatively affected, but my son and others in the gay community can only benefit by having their relationships recognised and validated by society as a whole.

Shelley Argent OAM
National Spokesperson PFLAG
Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays

PAUL MARTIN, M.A.P.S., PSYCHOLOGIST

Media Statement
Tuesday January 24th 2012

PSYCHOLOGIST WELCOMES GAY MARRIAGE SENATE INQUIRY

A Brisbane psychologist who specialises in counselling gay and lesbian people has welcomed a Senate inquiry into marriage equality.

Paul Martin said,

“The inquiry will provide an opportunity to put forward the evidence strongly linking marriage equality and better mental health.”

“This evidence includes recent public statements by the American Psychological Association and the Australian Psychological Society that same-sex couples and their children experience higher levels of psychological distress when the couples concerned are denied the right to marry.”

“The research data also demonstrates that when society allows same-sex couples to marry, it has a positive impact on the mental health of gay and lesbian people and their families.”

Mr Martin said that due to homophobia gays and lesbians experience alarming levels of mental health problems including being four times more likely to commit suicide and are more than twice as likely to experience psychological disorders.

He said one of the easiest and most effective way to improve the mental health of a significant proportion of Australians is for the government to ensure legal equality for same-sex couples and their families.
Alex Greenwich, Australian Marriage Equality,Shelley Argent, Paul Martin