Same-Sex Marriage Bill 2012

To: The Honourable the President and Members of the Legislative Council Tasmanian citizens draw to the attention of the House that your petitioners: - Since the narrow defeat of the Same-Sex Marriage Bill last year, laws allowing same-sex marriages have been passed in New Zealand, the UK, France and other countries, these laws have had none of the ill-effects predicted by their opponents, and have brought the immense benefits of equality and marriage to same-sex couples and their families; - Similar laws have been introduced in the ACT, NSW, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia, and look likely to pass in the ACT and NSW and if Tasmania does not pass the Same-Sex Marriage Bill it is likely Tasmanian same-sex couples will have to marry in other states away from their friends and families; - Detailed inquiries into the constitutionality of state same-sex marriage laws by the NSW Parliament and the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute have found that states have the constitutional power to pass such laws; and - Theses reports have also found that the risk of a successful High Court challenge against these laws is much lower than has been claimed and the that the financial cost for Tasmania of a potential loss in the Court would be no more than 60 cents per Tasmanian. Your petitioners, therefore, humbly request that the Legislative Council support the motion to reinstate the Same-Sex Marriage Bill 2012 to the Legislative Council Notice Paper.