ILGA OCEANIA CELEBRATES PASSING OF MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN AUSTRALIA

Today the Australian parliament’s Lower House voted to pass the second and third readings of Senator Dean Smith’s Marriage Equality Bill in the House of Representatives.

This Bill now goes to the Governor General Peter Cosgrove for his assent and will become the law of Australia, after a few formalities,  28 days after that.

ILGA Oceania – the regional chapter of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association – celebrates this moment and wishes to acknowledge the hard work that LGBTIQ and human rights activists in Australia and around the world have done during this long and protracted fight.

“First of all, thank God for what was achieved today in Australia,” commented Tuisina Ymania Brown, ILGA Oceania co-Convenor. “As a trans woman of colour and faith, I believe that love will always prevail. Today, love won. Human rights won. Marriage equality won. Humanity won. Why? Because for the first time in this country, we are equal in terms of who we love. Australians have spoken, and their representatives have done it. Bravo and Brava to all the human rights activists, the Australians that voted, the MPs and Senators that worked with our activists to define and refine the legislation. Thank you. And for all those that have shed blood, for those we have lost because of bigotry and discrimination and the hate crimes against LGBTIQ people, this one is for your sacrifice. ILGA Oceania is proud to have supported this campaign.”

“As the former campaign manager for marriage equality in New Zealand, it’s great to finally say: it’s about time, Australia,” commented Rawa Karetai, ILGA Oceania co-Convenor based in New Zealand. “It’s a great day to celebrate the campaign win in Australia. To our LGBTIQ friends in Australia, party in the streets and show that this is a significant win for our community.  Marriage equality is finally here and it’s awesome to know that our LGBTIQ community is allowed to get married.”

Like many other countries who have done so around the world, LGBTIQ Australians will wake up to a more inclusive and free and equal Australia tomorrow.

Media contacts:

Tuisina Ymania Brown
ILGA Oceania co-convenor, based in Australia: +61 404 408 223

Rawa Karetai
ILGA Oceania co-Convenor, based in New Zealand: +64 274 051883