Australia High Court Kills Same-Sex Marriage

[Fearless]

For a few brief days the capital of Australia had same-sex marriage. Couples traveled thousands of miles across the continent to take advantage of a tenuous same-sex marriage law, knowing it could last forever, or until today. It lasted until today.

Stephen Dawson married Dennis Liddelow 0n Saturday, as the above image shows. Their marriage is no longer legally valid.

The Australian High Court about an hour ago in a unanimous decision struck down a law allowing same-sex couples to marry in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The law was passed in October, and had become effective last week. Twenty couples had been married under the law.

“The High Court determined that the federal parliament has the power under the Australian constitution to legislate on same-sex marriage, and that whether or not same-sex marriages are legalised is a matter for the federal parliament,” according to The Australian.

http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/breaking-australia-high-court-kills-same-sex-marriage/marriage/2013/12/11/80119

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[DesiBilla]

1. introduction

hello guys i am new here

[Egalitarian Thug]

2. Welcome, I hope.

Please forgive my trepidation, but we get a lot of noobs that come in with an incompatible agenda.

[okaawhatever]

6. Welcome to DU. Glad you['re here. nt

[CapeStorm]

3. Thank you Mandela!

I was deeply saddened to hear about the courts decision, and sympathise with those whose marriages has since been deemed invalid. I am a South African bisexual male. The constitution that Mandela guided saw us becoming the first African country and among the first 5 in the world to legalize same sex marriage. Currently our laws have two types of relationship, a civil union and a civil marriage both opened to all regardless of orientation. [The major differences relate to issues such as joint incomes/property, power of attorney etc.].

I have met the most wonderful man and, should he say yes, I will marry him in the new year. I travel internationally extensively and would be very upset if any country denies my husband visas etc. It might actually become an international diplomatic incident. I'm so glad I'm South African

[okaawhatever]

7. So glad you are enjoying the benefits of legally recognized marriage/union. It will be interesting

to see how other countries recognize the legal marriages of same-sex couples. I'd stay out of Russia for a while....lol...

[Donald Ian Rankin]

4. I think it's unfair to blame the court; it was the federal government's fault, wasn't it?

I may be wrong, but didn't the Australian federal government pass a law that was fairly clearly intended to ban same-sex marriage?

If so, then it seems unfair to blame the court for not ignoring it, or to excuse the federal government.

[CapeStorm]

5. The law is an ass (particularly in Australia)

I think you're right, theoretically. Its the Federal Government which applies legislation, the courts simply interpret it. But in practice there is often sufficient scope for Courts to make law (judicial precedents). At the least the Justices should have issued some kind of dissenting judgement.