From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Australian Marriage Equality
Australian Marriage Equality
Australian Marriage Equality (AME) is a group of Aus- tralians," commented a spokesperson for the organiza-
tralians from various states and territories who have tion.[9]
come together to campaign for law reform and attitudi-
nal change necessary to allow same sex couples to marry. Commissioning polls and studies
It remains the pre-eminent group campaigning for mar- AME commissioned a Galaxy Poll in 2010 which found
riage equality in Australia. that 62 per cent of Australians support same-sex mar-
AME was launched in late 2004, following the Federal riage, and 80 per cent of young people (18-24 years) sup-
Parliament’s passage of a bill amending the Marriage Act port marriage equality.[10] In 2011 they commissioned a
1961 to rule out the legal recognition of marriages be- second Galaxy Poll which found 75% of Australians think
tween same-sex couples. legalising same-sex marriage in Australia is in-
evitable.[11]
Activities In March 2011, AME released a paper which found
that Australia’s same-sex marriage ban hurt its economy.
AME launched newspaper and television advertisements According to the paper, married partners are less likely
in 2009 to call for same-sex marriage.[1] They were also to seek government aid, state and territorial govern-
invited to speak at a hearing into the Senate Inquiry into ments gain money by issuing marriage licenses, wedding
the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2009.[2] expenditures would stimulate the economy, and tourism
After AME wrote a letter to the Archbishop of Sydney would also benefit.[12]
in December 2011, expressing their desire to meet with
him to discuss the Australian Catholic Church’s campaign
against same-sex marriage rights, Cardinal George Pell See also
tentatively agreed to meet with the group.[3] The group • List of LGBT rights organisations
has also met with members of parliament from both ma- • LGBT rights in Australia
jor parties to stress the importance of marriage to fami- • Coalition of Activist Lesbians Australia (COAL)
lies and to gay and lesbian youth.[4]
AME made news in April 2011 for confronting Aus-
tralian prime minister Julia Gillard. The prime minister References
was addressing the Sydney Institute at a dinner in Luna [1] My Son Is Not A Second Rate Citizen, Australian
Park; protesters at the car park entrance and the park’s Marriage Equality website, retrieved 7 May 2010.
gates held photographs of same-sex couples who could [2] http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/
not marry.[5] Later that year, they launched a series of legcon_ctte/marriage_equality/report/report.pdf
touring workshops called "Local Voices," which aim to [3] Karvelas, Patricia (31 January 2011). "Gays vow
cultivate grassroots activism for same-sex marriage. [6] respect in marriage debate". The Australian.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/
Raising awareness gays-vow-respect-in-marriage-debate/story-
On Valentine’s Day 2011, AME, together with the orga- e6frg6nf-1225997089933.
nization GetUp!, ran an ad campaign called "Marriage [4] Karvelas, Patricia (10 February 2011). "Bishop
Matters," which emphasized the importance of marriage breaks ranks on same-sex marriage". The Australian.
to gays and lesbians.[7] Another commercial released http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-
around the same time featured twin brothers Paul and affairs/bishop-breaks-ranks-on-same-sex-
David Battye; Paul was best man at his brother’s wedding, marriage/story-fn59niix-1226003262760.
but cannot himself get married.[8] [5] "Marriage protesters confront Gillard". Sydney Star
When Prince William of Wales and Catherine Middle- Observer. 14 April 2011.
ton married in 2011, AME, with GetUp!, sponsored public http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/australia-
outdoor screenings of the event in order to call attention news/new-south-wales-news/2011/04/14/
to the fact that gay and lesbian people in Australia can- marriage-protesters-confront-gillard/49511.
not marry their partners. "On this happy day when Aus- [6] Dunkin, Alex (23 May 2011). "AME marriage
tralians celebrate the royal wedding, many Australians campaign workshops go national". Blaze.
share the aspiration to one day marry their own ’prince’ http://blaze.gaynewsnetwork.com.au/news/ame-
or princess’, including many gay and lesbian Aus-
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Australian Marriage Equality
marriage-campaign-workshops-go- [10] Same-sex marriage study, Galaxy Research, retrieved
national-004492.html. 1 May 2011.
[7] Singh, Sheenal (6 February 2011). "Ad puts a face to [11] "Most Australians believe gay marriage will happen
gay marriage issue". Sydney Morning Herald. - Galaxy poll". The Daily Telegraph. 8 June 2011.
http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/lifematters/ad- http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/
puts-a-face-to-gay-marriage- national/most-australians-believe-gay-marriage-
issue-20110205-1ahn4.html. will-happen-galaxy-poll/story-
[8] "Gay marriage draws Gaga gatecrash". Daily e6freuzr-1226071774037. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
Examiner. 14 February 2011. [12] Karvelas, Patricia (21 March 2011). "Same-sex
http://www.dailyexaminer.com.au/story/2011/ marriage ban hurts economy". The Australian.
02/14/sydney-goes-gaga-for-gay-marriage/. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-
[9] "Royals put focus on marriage rights". Sydney Star affairs/same-sex-marriage-ban-hurts-economy/
Observer. 21 April 2011. story-fn59niix-1226025059327.
http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/australia-
news/new-south-wales-news/2011/04/21/royals-
put-focus-on-marriage-rights/50147.
External links
• Official website
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Australian_Marriage_Equality&oldid=450656920"
Categories:
• Lists of organizations
• LGBT rights organizations
• LGBT political advocacy groups in Australia
• Organizations that support same-sex marriage
• Organizations established in 2004
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