Page 5466 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 16 November 2011

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video

---

Amendment No 1 agreed to.

Amendment No 2 negatived.

MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (8.28): I will speak briefly in closing the debate. I would like to thank Mr Barr and his colleagues for their support for this motion tonight. I welcome that. I think that the Canberra community welcomes that a majority of this Assembly supports marriage equality. I am saddened by the fact that the support is not unanimous in this chamber.

As I said earlier, I do not believe this is an issue about political parties and certainly the figures I cited from the Nielsen poll this week, which indicate that across all the political parties at least half of the people support the right to marriage equality, speak to that fact that across the community there is an understanding and an embracing of equality in our community. That is something that heartens me a great deal about this country, that Australians, even if it is not their thing, recognise that we should give all members of our community the right to celebrate and enjoy the great fun, the tremendous show of affection, that a marriage process is. I think that a time will come when this will happen.

The valuable thing is that this parliament is sending a message to the federal parliament that we want change. I hope that that change comes soon. I hope that today’s discussion, today’s motion, plays a small part in advancing this very important cause.

Question put:

That the motion, as amended, be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Question so resolved in the affirmative.

Motion, as amended, agreed to.

Weston Creek community festival—funding

MR HANSON (Molonglo) (8.31): I move:

That this Assembly:

---

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video