A lesbian couple in Queensland is hoping to spark more debate about gay marriage by taking the plunge at the offices of the British Consulate-General this afternoon.
Sharon Dane [convener of the Queensland Branch of AME] and Elaine Crump are dual Australian-British citizens, which lets them take advantage of new UK laws making gay civil partnerships legal.
They think it is ironic that Queensland, once renowned as one of Australia's most conservative states, will play host to their gay wedding.
They are hoping others will follow their lead and they are being encouraged by the British vice-consul who wants as many gay couples as possible to pledge their commitment to each other in Brisbane.
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Photo: SX News |
Just a few hours before the ceremony, Ms Dane and Ms Crump were like any other couple about to get married: busy.
"It's a huge day but I guess it feels like any other day when you're getting married - it's stressful, it's rushed," said Ms Dane.
Both women have lived here in Australia for more than 30 years, and they have been together for five.
Ms Dane's mother suggested they return to Britain to get married following the changes to the laws there in December last year which made gay civil partnerships legal.
But then they discovered they could do it in Australia.
"When you look at the actual litigation behind it, it's the same as a marriage," said Ms Dane.
"So in other words if we wanted to divorce, we'd have to go through that situation as well, it's no different in that respect."
She acknowledges that today's ceremony will not give them any legal recognition in Australia.
"It is quite ironic - we'll be up on the 26th floor and will be validated, and then when we come down, it's not recognised."
The British vice-consul Megan Hunt is conducting a short ceremony this afternoon.
"A certificate is produced and we pass it back to the family records office in the UK and it is lodged with the family records so that that confirmation of partnership is recognised in the United Kingdom for matters such as taxation," she said.
She says the purpose of the ceremony is not to have it recognised here, but to have it recognised in the United Kingdom.
Ms Dane is hoping their very public commitment - they're allowing the media along - will spark some more debate in Australia about gay marriage.
She does not think much of the Federal Government's current attitude.
"Not much, I guess that's the way to say it without being rude," she said.
"I'm hoping that it's just a matter of time."
She says they were the first couple to register but a gay male couple beat them to the altar, and had a ceremony about a week ago.
Ms Dane also says she hopes others might follow suit.
"I've mentioned it to some people who are in a similar situation to us - it's quite common in Australia to have dual British citizenship - and they didn't know it was available.
"So they're excited now that they're able to do it as well!"
The Catholic Church is also happy for more debate on gay marriage, if only to stress why it should not happen.
Ray Campbell, a spokesman for the Catholic archdiocese of Brisbane, is not happy that the British consulate general is performing the ceremonies, but he does not think there will be a backlash.
"What we would like to do is to point out the implications that it has," he said.
"We're talking about an institution that is recognised and supported by society.
"We're not out to go and [be] disparaging to people who want to go down this path, we just think they're mistaken.
"I am surprised too that, given Australia's made clear that it doesn't recognise same-sex marriages if contracted overseas, that the British consul would be actively encouraging this to happen in Australia.
"Exactly what his motivation is I don't know, but it does seem a little bit odd."
The doors to the British consulate general, though, are wide open.
"We are here, we'd like to encourage anybody who is British and would like pursue this to make contact with us," said Ms Hunt.
"We'd be delighted to help them."
Couples where at least one partner is a British national may register a civil partnership in a British High Commission office here in Australia. See:
http://bhc.britaus.net/News/newsdefault.asp?id=675