Tasmanian’s Upper House is set to be the focus of national attention when it considers for a second time whether the island state can go it alone in legalising same-sex marriage.

Independent MLC Ruth Forrest says she will bring on debate to resuscitate the same-sex marriage bill which failed last year, eight votes to six.

Ms Forrest says she will make the move when Parliament resumes in just under a fortnight, in light of new information.

She wants her colleagues to consider a New South Wales parliamentary inquiry which ruled states do have the power to introduce their own gay marriage laws.

Only two MLCs need to change their minds for Parliament to push ahead with legalising gay marriage.

“If they were the genuine reasons why they didn’t support the bill last time in light of the new information they well be in the position where they can acknowledge that these issues aren’t as real as what they were concerned about, ” said Ms Forrest.

Of the eight MLCs who voted no last year, four based their decision on the matter being a Commonwealth issue.

If gay marriage laws were to pass the upper house there is no doubt the Lower House would quickly approve the laws before parliament is dissolved for the year.

But Independent MLC Rosemary Armitage is already saying she will not be swayed to support the laws this time around.

“I still am of the firm opinion that same-sex marriage, as with euthanasia, are federal issues,” she said.

“It should be left in the federal arena and perhaps we should be dealing at the moment with a lot of the legislation we actually have before us on the books.”

The Tasmanian Law Institute will next week release a report into whether State Parliament can legislate same-sex marriage.

New Zealand became the first Asia-Pacific country to legalise gay marriage, closely followed by France, England and Wales.

The ACT Government hopes to have same-sex couples marrying in the territory before the end of the year.

Author: Zoe Edwards
Publication: ABC News Online
Date: 4 October 2013