Terminally ill partner says “It’s been the most wonderful day of my life”.
Advocate congratulates couple, says wedding highlights urgent need for marriage equality.
The dream of Tasmanian couple, Lee Bransden and Sandra Yates, to legally marry has come true.
The couple were wed in a moving ceremony in the New Zealand city of Rotorua this afternoon (for photos, see link below).
The couple wanted to legally marry because Lee is terminally ill with end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but they are prevented from marrying in Australia because of their gender.
A New Zealand marriage became an option for the two pensioners when a crowd sourcing campaign raised almost $10,000 in two days.
Speaking after today’s ceremony Sandra and Lee thanked everyone who helped make their marriage possible.
Sandra said, “We will use this inadequate word of “thank you” to everyone who has supported us in our fabulous journey to become married. Thank you for all the beautiful wishes and generous donations enabling us to succeed in our destiny to be wed.”
Lee added, “It’s been the most wonderful day of my life. I am married to the most wonderful woman. This should have happened in Australia. For any other Aussies wanting to be married, I can highly recommend the beautiful people of New Zealand.”
Sandra went on to say “I say wow, we’ve done it, we’ve tied the knot. Why is Australia so behind the world in this respect. We are supposed to be a leading-edge country. We really are not that advanced.”
Australian Marriage Equality national director, Rodney Croome, said Lee and Sandra’s New Zealand marriage highlights the urgency of Australia adopting marriage equality.
“I think I speak for many other Australians when I congratulate Lee and Sandra on their marriage and wish them every happiness in their time left together.”
“While today is a happy day for Lee and Sandra, there marriage is a reminder that marriage equality is an urgent reform that many Australian couples and families can no longer wait for.”
“For the sake of all Australian same-sex couples for whom marriage is an urgent priority, I urge our national law makers to make marriage equality an even more urgent priority.”
Lee and Sandra were married at Mitai Maori Village by civil celebrant Kay Gayton.
They thank Kay, as well as Tania Charteris from Mitai Village for helping organise the ceremony, her mother Glyness Charteris who supplied and arranging the flowers, Flora Wheeler who did their hair, Melissa from Lavish Beauty who did their make up, and Bill Hedges from Gotya Photos for taking wedding photos.
A further fundraising event for Lee and Sandra, titled “By Your Side”, will be held at 7.30pm on May 29th at the Waterfront Function Centre, 17 Devonport Road, Devonport.
A photo of Lee and Sandra is attached. For others photos from Lee and Sandra’s marriage ceremony go to:
https://drive.google.com/a/australianmarriageequality.net/folderview?id=0BzercS6t9NDTWUx4R3k1NmI2c3c&usp=sharing#
Photo credit: Bill Hedges.
For more information, or to arrange an interview with Sandra and Lee, contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668.
Author: Rodney Croome
Publication: AME Media Release
Date: 16 May 2015