Cold welcome to unions bill
A civil partnerships bill in the South Australian Parliament should not distract lawmakers from legislating for same-sex marriage, a marriage equality advocate has warned SA politicians.
SA independent MP Bob Such introduced his civil partnerships bill into Parliament on Tuesday although it has received a frosty reception from the country鈥檚 leading marriage equality group, Australian Marriage Equality. Civil partnership registers already exist in the ACT, NSW, Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria.
鈥淪outh Australia has a unique opportunity to lead the nation by enacting laws allowing same-sex marriage, and the civil partnerships bill should not be a distraction from that opportunity,鈥� Australian Marriage Equality national convenor Rodney Croome (pictured) said. 鈥淭he international experience clearly shows that civil partnerships are not a substitute for full marriage equality because they are not as widely recognised or respected.鈥�
He told media earlier this month civil unions would attract support whereas marriage equality laws would likely be blocked in Parliament.
