Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings has announced that Tasmania will pass new laws allowing same-sex couples to marry.
For some people it will seem strange that Tasmania could be the first place in Australia to allow same-sex marriages. Tassie has a reputation for homophobia that comes from being the last Australian state to decriminalise same-sex relationships. Besides, isn’t marriage a federal issue?
Since homosexuality was decriminalised in 1997, Tasmania’s progress on the recognition of same-sex relationships has outstripped the other states.
Rodney Croome AM is the campaign director of Australian Marriage Equality.