Shorten releases details of gay marriage bill

Shorten releases details of gay marriage bill

Sydeny : The words “man and woman” and “husband and wife” will be replaced by “two people” in the Marriage Act under Bill Shorten’s proposal to redefine marriage in Australia. Under the changes gay couples who have already married overseas would have their unions recognised under Australian law, with the repeal of section 88EA of the Act.And, as flagged by Mr Shorten earlier this week, ministers of religion and other authorised celebrants will not be required to solemnise a marriage where the parties to the marriage are of the same sex.The Labor leader’s bill to legalise same-sex marriage in Australia, which will be introduced to Federal Parliament on Monday, defines marriage as “the union of two people to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life”.
The current definition in the Marriage Act, which would be replaced, states it is “the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life”.
The repeal of section 88EA and the redefinition of marriage as between two people would reverse former prime minister John Howard’s 2004 amendments to the Act.
The same-sex marriage bill, Marriage Amendment (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015, allows a union between two people regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status.And there is greater detail in the bill than Labor MP Stephen Jones’ 2012 amendment to the Marriage Act – which was voted down – in that it spells out the word “partner” can be used instead of “husband” or “wife”.

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