NEW ZEALAND’S decision to legalise gay marriage on Wednesday night brought up the question of whether Australia was falling behind on this issue.
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Gay couples, including those from around Ballarat and Daylesford, have discussed going to New Zealand to get married and possibly live there.
Daylesford ChillOut Festival administrator and committee secretary Kayleigh Hughes said many of her friends had said they would migrate to New Zealand so they could live happily married.
“I’m amazed with New Zealand – it’s the best thing that New Zealand could have done,” said Ms Hughes, a lesbian who has been engaged to her partner for more than a month.
Ms Hughes said yesterday alone she had heard of about 15 gay couples now planning to move to New Zealand.
“My home is here in Daylesford. I could go over (to New Zealand) and get married, but then I would come back and it not be recognised,” she said.
“There will be couples who go over to get the piece of paper, but it won’t be recognised – it will have no legal bearings here.
“It’s just wanting the certificate.
“But if I moved there, who will be here to run the ChillOut Festival?”
Ms Hughes said she did not think gay marriage would be legalised in Australia soon, but she would continue to fight for marriage equality.
“With the government we have in Australia now, we won’t be following suit anytime soon,” she said.
“I’m going to continue fighting with the rest of the gay community here to legalise gay marriage.
“I’ve been fighting for marriage equality for 20 years . . . I hope it’s not going to be another 20 years.”
Ms Hughes said at the rate Australia was going, she would remain engaged for a long time.
She says when gay marriage is legalised in Australia, she thinks she’ll get married within a week.
“We’ve already purchased a civil celebrant voucher – it expires in two years, so hopefully it will be before then.”
Anglican Bishop for the Ballarat diocese Garry Weatherill said he supported relationship equality, but didn’t think marriage was the best word.
“It’s not necessarily a bad thing for New Zealand to legalise same-sex marriage, but I don’t necessarily think it should happen here, but I do think it will put pressure on politicians to make that step,” Bishop Weatherill said.
Bishop Weatherill said same-sex couples should not be discriminated against in any way by the law and should have access to the same superannuation and the like, but the word marriage was still between a man and a woman.
“I have mixed views. I struggle to understand why a homosexual couple would want to be married when marriage is something heterosexual couples want to do,” he said.
“I do understand though that a same-sex couple would want to make a public declaration of their love and want to be committed, but don’t know whether marriage is the best term for that.”
Australian Marriage Equality national convener Rodney Croome said Australia was lagging behind.
“This will be a game changer in Australia because of the close links between our two countries,” Mr Croome said.
He said more than 1000 Australian couples, through a survey on the AME website, had indicated they intended to marry in New Zealand.
nicole.cairns@fairfaxmedia.com.au