Advocates
for
marriage
equality
are
angry
the
Labor
Party
draft
national
platform
continues
to deny
same-sex
partners
the
right to
marry.
Australian
Marriage
Equality (AME)
national
convener, Peter
Furness,
said the
draft
policy,
released
today,
undermines
Labor's
claim,
made in
the same
document,
to be a
party of
"equality"
and "a
fair go"
which
rejects
"pandering
to
prejudice".
"Denying
same-sex
partners
the
right to
marry
stigmatises
us as
second-class
citizens,
effectively
says we
can't
maintain
the
level of
love
and commitment
associated
with
marriage,
and
portrays
us as a
threat
to other
people's
marriages",
Mr
Furness
said.
"It's
not
enough
for
same-sex
partners
to be
considered
defactos,
or
allowed
a state
civil
union,
because,
just
like
straight
couples,
some of
us want
to be
able to
marry."
"Opinion
polls
show a
majority
of
Australians
support
equality
in
marriage
and it's
time for
Labor
Party
policy
to
reflect
that."
Labor's
draft
platform,
released
today
ahead of
the
Party's
national
conference
in July,
supports
state-based
civil
union
schemes
but
opposes
anything
which might
"mimic
marriage
or
undermine
existing
laws
that
define
marriage
as being
between
a man
and a
woman".
Mr
Furness
urged
all
supporters
of
equality
within
the ALP
to write
to the
policy
committee
during
the
upcoming
consultation
period
expressing
their
support
for
same-sex
marriage.
"We urge
ALP
members
who
believe
in
equality
not to
quibble
over
details
about
civil
union
schemes,
but to
make a
clear
and
strong
statement
in
favour
of
marriage
for
all."
"Labor's
continued
support
for
marriage
discrimination
is in
marked
contrast
to
developments
overseas
with
Sweden
becoming
the
seventh
nation
to
reject
civil
unions
and
endorse
same-sex
marriage
last
week,
followed
by Iowa
which
became
the
third US
state.
"It's
deeply
embarrassing
that
Australia
is being
left
further
and
further
behind."
Mr
Furness
said AME
had made
its views
known to
the ALP
policy
committee
prior to
the
release
of
today's
draft
platform
and
would
continue
to raise
equal
marriage
during
the
up-coming
consultation
process.
The full
draft
policy
item
follows:
Under
the
title
"Removing
discrimination
against
same-sex
couples"
on page
92, the
draft
platform
states:
Labor
supports
the
enactment
of
legislation
prohibiting
discrimination
on
the
grounds
of a
person’s
sexuality
or
gender
identity
and
the
removal
of
such
discrimination
from
Commonwealth
legislation.
Labor
will
ensure
that
all
couples
who
have
a
mutual
commitment
to a
shared
life
do
not
suffer
discrimination
because
they
are
not
married.
Labor
will
take
action
to
ensure
the
development
of
nationally
consistent,
state-based
relationship
recognition
legislation
that
provides
the
opportunity
for
couples
who
have
a
mutual
commitment
to a
shared
life
to
have
those
relationships
registered
and
certified.
This
legislation
will:
(1)
Be
based
on
the
schemes
that
exist
in
Tasmania,
the
Australian
Capital
Territory
and
Victoria.
(2)
Not
create
schemes
that
mimic
marriage
or
undermine
existing
laws
that
define
marriage
as
being
between
a
man
and
a
woman.
In stark
contrast,
under
the
title
"Securing
an
inclusive
future
for all
Australians"
on page
76, the
platform
states:
We
have
always
stood
for
equality.
Throughout
our
party’s
history
successive
Labor
governments
have
sought
to
achieve
this
by
helping
people
overcome
disadvantages
based
on
social
class,
gender,
sexuality,
disability,
religion,
cultural
background
and
racial
prejudice.
We
have
always
pursued
the
fair
go,
tolerance
and
respect.
We
oppose
all
attempts
to
divide
Australians
by
pandering
to
prejudice.
