今日吃瓜

MARRIAGE equality聽campaigner Rodney Croome has spoken about the 鈥渟mall but important gesture鈥� he made to Prime Minister Tony Abbott,聽who is聽opposed to marriage equality, after the two met as part the Australian of the Year celebrations.

Meanwhile, national Greens leader and fellow Tasmanian Christine Milne has praised Croome, who is the national convenor of Australian Marriage Equality (AME), for his 鈥渃ourage and resilience”.

In October, Croome was appointed Tasmania鈥檚 Australian of the Year for his 26 years of campaigning for the LGBTI community.

The accolade meant and travelled to the Canberra last weekend ceremony as part of the national Australia Day festivities.

While Croome missed out on the top gong to anti-domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty, he said just being nominated was a 鈥渢remendous honour” that聽“sent a positive message about Tasmania and how it has changed for the better”.

Croome said Batty was a 鈥渧ery worthy recipient鈥� and he had been inspired by meeting the other finalists who聽had encouraged him 鈥渢o be ever more passionate” about the work he does聽for聽LGBTI equality.

In Canberra, Croome聽and聽the other finalists attended an event hosted by the Prime Minister and his wife Margie.

Talking to the Star Observer, Croome said that when he and his partner were meeting the Abbotts they chose to make it very clear they were a couple.

鈥淚t was important for us to show we were in a loving relationship,” he said.

鈥淪o we walked up to Mr and Mrs Abbott holding hands to show our love was as good as anyone else鈥檚.

鈥淚t was a small gesture but it was important to us… I felt good. I felt stronger for doing it.”

Croome added that聽the Prime Minister, who was aware of his background in marriage equality campaigning, was gracious and 鈥渢hanked me for all the work that I do”.

While with the PM, Croome took the opportunity to ask that the new agency the government had announced that day 鈥斅爐o make it easier for Australians to adopt children from overseas 鈥斅爐reat same-sex and opposite-sex couples equally when it came to countries where same-sex adoption is legal.

Croome committed to follow up Abbott on the issue.

The Greens鈥� Milne congratulated Croome on his accolade and said the 鈥渧icious campaigns鈥� directed at the AME leader聽when聽the pair worked together in 1997 on overhauling Tasmania鈥檚 anti-gay laws 鈥渁re still fresh in my mind”.

鈥淩odney鈥檚 national recognition this Australia Day is also an important signal that Australians want the Abbott government to end discrimination,鈥� she said.

鈥淭his is the year we should have marriage equality in Australia.鈥�

The campaigner said he had no concerns at his lack of the top prize, but 鈥淚 am disappointed that no Tasmanian has won Australian of the Year and no one has won the award for LGBTI equality in the 54 years it has been held”.

However, Croome said he would use his role, which still has nine months to run, 鈥渢o talk up Tasmania as much as possible”.