Senate Committee Hearings This Week

This week is another important one for marriage equality in Australia – and specifically for the campaign to stop the introduction of new ‘special rights’ to discriminate against LGBTI couples. The Senate Committee that is examining the Government’s Exposure Draft Marriage Amendment (Same-Sex Marriage) Bill is holding three hearings: • Monday 23 January, in Melbourne • Tuesday 24 January, in Sydney and • Wednesday 25 January, in Canberra. They will be hearing from a range of LGBTI advocacy organisations (including both the Victorian and NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobbies, Transgender Victoria, OII Australia, Rainbow Families Victoria as well as PFLAG, just.equal and Australians for Equality/Australian Marriage Equality). A number of groups opposed to equality will also be appearing (from the Australian Christian Lobby to the Marriage Alliance and Australian Marriage Forum, as well as the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney). The outcome of these hearings (which will likely be broadcast live on the aph.gov.au website), and the inquiry more broadly, will be contained in the Committee’s final report, due 13 February. For more details on the inquiry, go here: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Same_Sex_Marriage/SameSexMarriage Thanks, Alastair PS In the meantime, please continue sharing the petition, to remind Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that ‘Equal love should not be treated unequally’.