Tasmanian marriage equality advocates say the A.C.T. is set to seize a massive economic bonus that could have been Tasmania’s.
Territory Green MP, Shane Rattenbury, has announced that the agreement he has reached with ACT Labor to form a new territory government includes legislation to allow same-sex couples to marry, a reform narrowly defeated in the Tasmanian Upper House in September.
Independent modelling has shown that the first state or territory to allow same-sex marriages will benefit by at least $100 million from spending by same-sex couples in the wedding and tourism sectors.
Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said,
“We welcome the ACT Government’s decision to move forward on marriage equality, and we urge the Tasmanian Government to re-introduce its same-sex marriage legislation so that Tassie is not left behind.”
“I hope those Tasmanian Upper House members who voted against marriage equality are watching very closely as the ACT benefits from the revenues and job creation that they voted against.”
State same-sex marriage legislation was defeated in the Tasmanian Upper House in September by eight votes to six. It has been tabled in South Australia, NSW, Victoria and Western Australia but is yet to be debated.
The A.C.T. only has one house of parliament and it is expected that a same-sex marriage bill will pass.
