November 30th 2010:

Australia’s marriage equality advocates have welcomed New South Wales joining the race to be the first state to allow same-sex marriages.

NSW Green’s Upper House MP Cate Faehrmann has today given notice of a motion in the NSW Parliament calling on the Government to legislate for Marriage Equality in the event the Federal Parliament fails to do so in 2011.

Independent MP Clover Moore has also indicated she will introduce a state-based same-sex marriage bill into the lower house if re-elected.

Australian Marriage Equality National Convener, Alex Greenwich: “having support and strong advocates for equality in both the lower and upper houses of NSW Parliament provides NSW with a real chance of being the first state to allow same-sex marriage”.

“Cate Faerhrmann and Clover Moore are representing the views of a majority of NSW residents who support full marriage equality”.

NSW Parliament recently passed legislation allowing same-sex parents to adopt.

Currently bills for state-based same-sex marriage are being considered in Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria following advice from Constitutional Expert Professor George Williams that the States could be able to legislate same-sex marriages.

Green’s MP Cate Faehrmann : “Advice from constitutional law expert Professor George Williams indicates the states have the ability to enact marriage equality laws. If the bigger parties in Canberra let us down, then politicians at Macquarie Street should step up the plate.”

Independent MP Clover Moore: “I support equality including same-sex marriage, and am committed to investigating NSW legislation if there is no federal legislation.”

In the United States, the first state to allow same-sex marriages was Massachusetts. Studies show it received an economic windfall of US$111 million from same-sex weddings while members of the “creative class” (highly educated workers in creative industries) were 2.5 times more likely to move to Massachusetts after marriage equality than before (reports below).

For further information contact Alex Greenwich on 0421 316 335

The details of George Williams full advice can be found at:

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/states-could-legalise-samesex-marriage-20100927-15u0k.html

Links to USA Studies:
http://www.law.ucla.edu/WilliamsInstitute/pdf/MA_CreativeClass.pdf
tp://www.law.ucla.edu/WilliamsInstitute/pdf/BusinessBoost.pdf