… ADVOCATES CALL FOR RETURN TO BILL THAT JUST DEALS WITH MARRIAGE

Several high-profile LGBTI equality advocates have written to all federal members asking that no extra provisions allowing discrimination be included in the Marriage Act in return for the right of same-sex couples to marry.

The letter comes as Senator James Paterson unveils a marriage amendment bill that will override state anti-discrimination laws so that same-sex couples can be refused services by commercial businesses and charities.

A spokesperson for just.equal, and one of the letter’s signatories, Rodney Croome said,

“If Australia has voted Yes it will be a vote for full equality, and not further discrimination.”

“A Yes vote will mean Australia has conclusively rejected the No campaign’s myth that marriage equality is a threat to freedom, and that special safeguards are required to guard against this threat.”

“Should there be a Yes vote, those who have lost the argument should not get to write the Bill.”

The joint letter rejects any provisions allowing same-sex and other couples to be refused services, over and above those which already exist in the Marriage Act.

It calls for a return to simpler legislation that focusses on the key issue of who can marry, such as a cross-party bill introduced by Liberals, Warren Entsch and Terese Gambaro in 2015.

It notes that no other other country that has marriage equality accompanied the reform with provisions weakening anti-discrimination protections.

The letter also expresses concern about extra discrimination exemptions in the bill flagged by Senator Dean Smith.

Mr Croome said he hopes to see the Bill amended to ensure there is no detriment to LGBTI people as a result of marriage equality.

The text of the letter is below.

There will be a forum on the issue of religious exemptions in marriage equality legislation in Melbourne this evening. More details here:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/what-happens-after-yes-marriage-equality-religious-exemptions-tickets-39426893901

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Letter to MPs and Senators

To all federal MPs and Senators,

We believe an amendment to the Marriage Act to allow lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTIQ+) couples to marry should be as simple and straightforward as possible. It should not include provisions that allow these couples to be refused service, over and above provisions currently in Marriage Act.

We note that in comparable jurisdictions, including Britain, Ireland, Canada, USA, and New Zealand, marriage equality was achieved without additional provisions allowing further discrimination against LGBTIQ+ couples.

We believe:
– allowing LGBTIQ+ couples to marry requires nothing more than changing a few words in the legal definition of marriage and the removal of the ban on recognising overseas same-sex marriages
– a number of bills have already set this standard, including bills previously introduced by Labor MP, Stephen Jones, and a cross-party bill from Liberal MP, Warren Entsch.
– the existing provision allowing Ministers of Religion to refuse their services on the basis of tenets of their religion have been sufficient since at least 1961 to protect religious values, and will continue to be sufficient

We understand a range of extra, discriminatory provisions have been proposed including:
– provisions allowing refusal of service to by civil celebrants, commercial businesses, charities, professionals or government employees, on the basis of religious belief or personal conscience
– provisions that allow for married LGBTIQ+ partners to be discriminated against in employment or housing, that curtail school diversity programs, that allow discrimination in fertility services, or that weaken protections against hate speech

We are concerned that these extra, discriminatory provisions:
– violate the principles of equality before the law, non-discrimination, separation of church and state, and fairness and dignity for all
– send the damaging and false message that LGBTIQ+ people and our relationships pose a unique threat from which religious values and the institution of marriage need special protection
– set a dangerous precedent for allowing further discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people under the guise of “religious freedom”, as is occurring in the United States
– have not been put directly to the LGBTIQ and allied communities for consultation

We ask that:
– no extra provisions allowing discrimination or refusal of service be included in the Marriage Act or consequential amendments, including the extra provisions allowing discrimination in Dean Smith’s Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Bill 2017
– the LGBTIQ+ and allied communities be consulted about any Bill before it is put to Parliament.

Yours Sincerely,
Peter Furness, former Australian Marriage Equality national director
Rodney Croome AM, former Australian Marriage Equality national director and just.equal spokesperson
Shelley Argent OAM, national spokesperson for Parents and friends of Lesbians and Gays
Ivan Hinton-Teoh, founder and national spokesperson for just.equal
Jason Tuazon-McCheyne, convener of the Equality Project
Sharyn Faulkner, spokesperson for Geelong for Marriage Equality
Felicity Marlowe, advocate for rainbow families
Brian Greig OAM, former Democrats Senator for WA
Jac Tomlins, veteran LGBTI Activist
Troy Simpson, author

Rodney Croome, just.equal