Australia’s first same-sex marriages being celebrated in Canberra this weekend may be short-lived, Liberal candidate for Lyons, Guy Barnett said today.
“Any same-sex marriages held in Canberra this weekend and until the High Court’s decision is handed down this Thursday 12 December are designed to gain publicity and may well be found to be invalid.
“If the High Court rejects the ACT laws, the same-sex marriages solemnised are likely to be invalid as if they had never happened.
“Marriage between a man and a woman as defined in the Commonwealth Marriage Act was supported at the recent federal election. The push for same-sex marriage was rejected at this year’s Legislative Council elections and has now been defeated twice in the state parliament. I believe Tasmanians want to move on to focus on priority issues such as the economy and jobs, Mr Barnett concluded.
Liberal candidate for Lyons, Guy Barnett
