From the moment you walk through the doors of your local wedding, it’s a rite of passage for many.
But for those of us who have been raised by two women, it can be a life-changing experience.
We’re all taught that a woman is supposed to take care of her man.
But that’s just not true.
In fact, it might be the worst thing that’s ever happened to men.
The Equality Act came into force in April 2018 and saw a significant rise in the number of same-sex couples getting married.
But when it came to the number actually getting married, it didn’t take long for the numbers to fall.
The numbers didn’t change in the states where same-gender marriages were legal, but the numbers did change in Tasmania, South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia.
But the ACT’s marriage laws are one of the worst in the nation.
And now, after the Supreme Court ruled that marriage equality should be recognised across Australia, the ACT has officially thrown in the towel on same-gendered marriages.
The ACT Government has announced that it will not be recognising same- gender marriages, and is instead introducing a bill that will be debated by Parliament in September.
“It’s going to make a significant impact on our legal process because the ACT Government is not going to allow the ACT Parliament to change the Marriage Act,” Acting Minister for Legal Affairs, Nicky Wagner, told the ABC.
Ms Wagner said it was “extremely disappointing” that the ACT government had chosen to introduce legislation without consulting the law in place.
“We have not had a chance to consult with the ACT Attorney-General, who has been leading the legal consultation process,” she said.
“And if we don’t consult with him and the Attorney-Generals office that we are now going to be relying on, we will be unable to get this bill through Parliament.”
Ms Wagner’s decision to introduce the bill was a major blow to those who are currently legally married, as well as those who have never had to get married in the first place.
It means many couples will be forced to have to wait months or even years to get a marriage certificate.
“I don’t know what I would have done,” said Rebecca Smith, a woman from Queensland who was originally from Australia.
“Because we’ve never got to go to court.
I don’t think it would have made a difference to me, but it does affect me and my family,” she added.
The ACT government’s decision will not stop same- sex couples in the ACT from getting married in other states.
It will be up to the ACT Supreme Court to decide if the bill is legal.
“The ACT has a unique legal system,” Ms Wagner said.
“The laws are the laws.
But what the ACT does is they change the laws, not the laws themselves.”
Ms Smith is now waiting for a decision from the Supreme Commission of the Marriage Acts, which is overseeing the ACT legislation.
Topics:marriage,government-and-politics,marriage-and‑family,laws,law-crime-and–justice,courts-and-(human-interest)prosecutions,community-and/or-society,canberra-2600,act,act-6019,act—south-australia,act/austria,tas,qld,wa
