RECOGNISING same-sex marriage in NSW will erase the "last vestige of discrimination" in the state's laws, the head of a parliamentary group on the issue says.
A cross-party group of Liberal, National, Greens, Labor and independent members will introduce a same-sex marriage bill to NSW parliament on Thursday.
"Our cross-party group feels very strongly that this sort of last vestige of discrimination in our law should be removed," Labor MLC Penny Sharpe told ABC radio.
"We believe in NSW there are many, many same-sex coupes who want to get married."
She says state governments are within their rights to legislate on the issue, as it isn't a priority for the federal government.
But it would be "very tough" to get the bill through, she said, predicting some MPs would withhold support in favour of a federal policy.
The bill had been carefully designed to withstand potential High Court challenges, she added.
Meanwhile, ACT same-sex marriage laws that come into effect on November 7 could face a High Court challenge by December.
In Tasmania, an attempt to revive the same-sex marriage debate in the state's upper house was voted down on Tuesday.
31 Oct, 2013
-
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/newscomaunationalbreakingnewsndm/~3/0Gmljv1MhG4/story01.htm
--
Manage subscription | Powered by rssforward.com
