Marriage inquiry sees record submissions

SYDNEY: In a further sign that marriage equality is becoming a touchstone issue for a wide cross-section of the Australian public, a parliamentary inquiry looking at plans for NSW to introduce state-based equal marriage laws has received a record number of submissions.

About 8,000 submissions are expected to be received by the inquiry into Same sex marriage law in NSW by deadline today.

While no official count is yet to take place it is believed that at least 55 per cent or more of submissions are in favour of NSW introducing state-based marriage equality laws, with almost 4,000 submissions in favour handed in by progressive lobby group GetUp alone this morning.

The parliamentary cross party working group for marriage equality which includes three Upper House MPs – the Nationals’ Trevor Khan, Cate Faehrmann from The Greens and Labor’s Penny Sharpe – as well as Lower House Liberal MP Bruce Notley-Smith and Independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich is now due to report back in July, shortly before the bill is debated in the Upper House.

“The cross party working group is thrilled by the strong community support for marriage equality across the State,” members of the working group said.

“That in such a short time thousands have got on board with this issue to show how important marriage equality is – not just to LGTBI people and their families, but the broader community.”

City of Sydney Labor Councillor Linda Scott, who provided a submission to the inquiry, told SX she was strongly in support of the reform, saying that any legislation must also include transgender and intersex people.

“The crux of this issue is whether government can continue denying a fundamental human right to a particular group in society, or if it will embrace equality before the law in all aspects of the law and legislate for the right for all adult couples to be legally married in NSW,” she said.

“It is my view that the march of history will be on the side of those who champion equality, human rights, compassion, and love.”

[IMAGE] Members of NSW's parliamentary cross party working group for marriage equality with representatives from GetUp, Australian Marriage Equality and the NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (Supplied)