RALLYING FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

Over a thousand protestors marched from Town Hall to the ALP National Conference at Darling Harbour to demand the legalisation of same-sex marriage from the Federal Government, on a day when Kevin Rudd emerged as the reactionary political force in the debate.

On August 1, ALP factions reached a compromise to recognise same-sex relationships on a national registrar, thus identifying a financial union and paving the way for anti-discrimination legislation, but falling short of equality under the Marriage Act.

The move only antagonised the rally that received a police escort down George and Liverpool streets, chanting “Gay, straight, black, white, marriage is a civil right”. They carried placards reading, ‘Stop war not same-sex marriage’, and ‘Single- and looking; can’t marry – and voting.’

The march re-convened outside the Convention Centre, where 80 couples took part in an illegal mass-wedding, led by gay Pastor Carl Hand, who called for an apology from his Christian community to his gay community.

But managing director of the Christian Lobby, Jim Wallace, said: “The vast majority is strongly opposed to allowing these aggressive activists to undermine an institution as fundamental to society as marriage for their political objectives.”

The Christian lobby found an ally in Prime Minster Kevin Rudd, who stared down Labor left leader Anthony Albanese, in denying Marriage Act amendments. Same-sex marriages are allowed in Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium and Canada, while Albania (a predominantly Muslim country) and Luxembourg (led by a Christian Democrat PM) are implementing laws.

Political support at the rally came from Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon, and Matthew Loader from Rainbow Labor. Actor Matt Young told the rally about his family – his de-facto husband and two sons.

He tells his sons that discrimination doesn’t exist in his house, and shouldn’t exist in his country. He’s taxed as a couple, but can’t get married. His message to Kevin Rudd was simple: “We want marriage equality, and we want it now.”

– BY MATT KHOURY