Gay marriage reform australia

Decriminalisation of homosexuality

From the s the socially progressive South Australian Labor government wanted to repeal laws criminalising homosexuality.

However, it was not until the May murder in Adelaide of Dr George Duncan, a law lecturer and gay man, that premier, Don Dunstan, assessed that the society mood was receptive to reform.

Dr Duncan’s murder led to revelations of how commonplace violence and harassment against homosexual people was.

South Australia’s Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act, was enacted on 2 October It was a landmark in LGBTQIA+ rights in Australia because it fully decriminalised lgbtq+ acts.

Equivalent law reform was passed by the Australian Capital Region in , Victoria in , the Northern Territory in , New South Wales in , Western Australia in , Queensland in and Tasmania in

As the celebrations start to wind down, it's timely to reflect on the broader implications of the decision last week to change the definition of marriage in the Marriage Act (Cth) from organism the union of a man and a female, to being the union of two people. For many LGBTIQ people, this law reform means they finally have the chance to marry the person they love, and we can expect to spot plenty of rainbow weddings in and beyond. But the attainment of marriage equality means so much more than that for so many people.

For some it's about recognition of existing marriages

Because Australia dragged its feet for so elongated on this issue, many couples chose to commit overseas, notwithstanding that their marriages would not be legally recognised when they returned to Australia. Jacqui Tomlins and Sarah Nichols, for example, married in Canada, where Sarah is from, in For 14 years they've been tirelessly campaigning for their marriage to be recognised here, and last week that finally happened. All couples who married overseas, or in consulates in Australia, are at long last considered marr