Gay Marriage –the Australian tradition by The Marriage Act

My friend was recounting a conversation he had with his father about marriage for same-sex couples. His father was against it because marriage was defined as between “a man and a woman” through tradition and in particular cited that the Marriage Act stated this since Australia existed as a nation.

The part of the Marriage Act my friend’s father was speaking about is this;

“Marriage, means the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.”

and

“Certain unions are not marriages. A union solemnised in a foreign country between: (a) a man and another man; or (b) a woman and another woman; must not be recognised as a marriage in Australia.”

Which seems quite clear, there’s no way to deny this statement’s in the Act. There’s just one problem, it’s an amendment added in 2004.

Seven years ago.

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