Campaign targets proposals for new discrimination in Marriage Act

In anticipation of a Yes vote in the postal survey that closed yesterday, equality advocates have launched a campaign against any new legal discrimination against same-sex and other couples when the Marriage Act is amended to allow same-sex couples to marry.

The campaign includes a webform to allow equality supporters to email MPs, a survey of the LGBTI community to determine its views on further discrimination in the Marriage Act, and a forum in Melbourne this Monday.

A bill from Liberal Senator, Dean Smith, includes provisions allowing civil celebrants with religious objections and organisations with religious links to refuse their services to same-sex and other couples. Should the postal survey return a Yes vote, a growing number of Government members want even more discriminatory carve outs to “protect religious freedom” including a broad right for married same-sex partners to be refused services or sacked from their jobs, and provisions against school diversity programs and hate speech laws.

Long-time equality advocate and just.equal spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said,

“If Australia votes Yes, it will be Yes for full equality for all loving committed couples, not new exemptions from anti-discrimination laws.”

“We haven’t come this far and gone through such a bruising postal survey, to see new forms of discrimination entrenched in the Marriage Act in return for the right to marry.”

“No other country passed marriage equality with discriminatory add-ons and Australia shouldn’t either.”

National spokesperson for Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, Shelley Argent, said,

“There are already sufficient religious protections in the Marriage Act. As National Spokesperson for parents with LGBTIQ sons and daughters I don’t want to see any more exemptions at the expense of our sons and daughters rights and freedoms.”

“We were told that the postal survey was democracy in action. However, it would not be a democratic outcome if the government chooses to ignore a Yes vote by enshrining further discrimination.”

“It’s time for true equality, not half measures.”

This coming Monday November 13th, there will be a forum in Melbourne to allow members of the LGBTI community to express their views on proposed new religious exemptions in the Marriage Act.

Organiser, Felicity Marlowe, said,

“Exemptions from anti-discrimination law are a very serious issue for many LGBTI people and our families, and it’s vital there is proper consultation about what these exemptions mean, both in the short and long term”

“Our forum aims to inform interested community members about the role of religious exemptions in Australia, the UK and US so that everyone has the opportunity to provide an educated response to any legislation or amendments that are tabled after the postal survey result.”

Meanwhile, former Australian Marriage Equality national director, Peter Furness, has spoken out against the Smith Bill in an article published today in the Guardian. He writes,

“The problem with Smith’s bill is that it not equality, it is a compromise. You are, after all, either equal or you’re not.”

“It would be utterly cruel and monumentally absurd to prolong this issue any further with an unfair and convoluted compromise bill should the yes vote be announced as winner on the 15th.”

Webform:
www.equal.org.au/equalmeansequal

Survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/just-equal-survey-religious-exemptions

Forum: What happens after YES?
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/what-happens-after-yes-marriage-equality-religious-exemptions-tickets-39426893901?aff=es2
Cost is $10.76 per ticket (GST inclusive),
Wheelchair accessible, Auslan interpreters provided. The Wheeler Centre is at 176 Little Lonsdale St Melbourne.

Article by Peter Furness:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/nov/08/we-deserve-a-resounding-yes-for-marriage-equality-not-half-measures
Rodney Croome, Shelley Argent, Felicity Marlowe, Peter Furness