SX Weekly (New South Wales, Australia), News
by Peter Hackney, 03/08/2006
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COMMUNITY GROUPS UNITE FOR NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION SX Weekly (New South Wales, Australia), News by Peter Hackney, 03/08/2006 |
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Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby finally lends support
Fifty-six queer and community groups around Australia have united for a Same-Sex Marriage National Day of Action on August 13. The event, to be held on the two-year anniversary of the passing of the Marriage Act, which specifically outlawed same-sex marriage in 2004, will be marked by rallies in Australia’s state capitals and several regional centres. “This day of action is designed to send a clear message to the Howard government that the lack of recognition for our relationships, and the actual banning of gay marriage, is completely unacceptable, and that we, as a community, are not going to take it lying down” Simon Margan from Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH), one of the key organising groups, told SX. “We need to keep up the push for our rights to be taken as equal,” he said. “If we don’t, who else will?” The day of action, which in Sydney will involve a rally at Taylor Square, gained further weight yesterday with a last-minute decision by the NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (GLRL) to support the event, after prevaricating for some months. As late as yesterday lunchtime, GLRL co-convenor David Scamell told SX that the Lobby had yet to decide whether to support the event. “While we agree in principle with the National Day of Action, we have not yet made a decision on whether we’re officially endorsing it, as we haven’t had a chance to meet with organisers,” Scamell said. |
But Margan responded: “CAAH and other organisers have always been totally available to meet with the Lobby and we can’t see any valid reason for them not to have announced their intentions by now. The Lobby purports to be the peak gay and lesbian rights group in Australia, but unfortunately we haven’t received any support from them.”
However, by late yesterday afternoon, the Lobby had decided to come on board. “We have decided to fully endorse the National Day of Action,” Scamell told SX, “and we’re encouraging all community members to attend the rallies on the day.” Addressing what some have perceived to be reluctance by the GLRL to support same-sex marriage, Scamell said, “We do support gay marriage. However our position has been different to some other groups in the past, purely for strategic reasons. We’ve traditionally focused on other aspects of relationship recognition that we’ve seen as more realistic and achievable … however we will be supporting the National Day of Action on August 13 and we will have representatives in attendance.” The key event of the National Day of Action is expected to be Sydney’s rally in Taylor Square. The rally will begin at 1pm on Sunday August 13, featuring speeches from community leaders, before culminating in a march along Oxford Street.
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