Tasmanian marriage equality advocates are undaunted by tonight’s narrow vote against a same-sex marriage bill in the state’s Upper House, saying the issue “has a bright future”.
After a marathon two day debate the Same-Sex Marriage Bill, which has already passed the state’s lower house, was voted down 8 votes to 6.
Tasmanian gay rights advocate and Australian Marriage Equality national convener, Rodney Croome, said,
“Today in Tasmania we came closer to allowing same-sex couples to marry than ever before in Australia.”
“The fact that most Upper House members who voted against of this Bill cited constitutional issues as the problem shows we have won the marriage equality debate even though the Bill was lost.”
“That is a great achievement given Tasmania was the last state to decriminalise homosexuality and I pay tribute to all those many thousands of Tasmanians who have bared their souls and told their personal stories in an effort to persuade Upper House members to support reform.”
“I believe this issue has a bright future because a majority of Tasmanians support it and, based on the weaknesses of their argument, opponents of reform in the Upper House can be won over.”
“If opponents of this Bill think they have put the issue to bed they are wrong. With the majority of Tasmanians behind us, we will lobby, advocate, leaflet, canvass and campaign on this issue right up until the next vote.”
“In particular we will make this an issue in the next Upper House election by putting our support behind candidates who support marriage equality.”
“We will never rest until same-sex couples can marry.”
Upper House MLC Ruth Forrest will call for an enquiry into the constitutional issues associated with the bill, supporters are confident the enquiry will show the constitutional concerns of opposed MLC are unfounded.
For more information contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668.
How the Upper House voted
For: Ruth Forrest, Mike Gaffney, Kerry Finch, Craig Farrell, Rob Valentine, Tony Mulder
Against: Paul Harriss, Rosemary Armitage, Jim Wilkinson, Vanessa Goodwin, Tania Rattray, Greg Hall, Adriana Taylor, Ivan Dean