14 August 2006
National
Day of Action For Equal Marriage Rights
Events across the country yesterday marked the second
anniversary of the passage of amendments to the
Marriage Act which led to Australia's same-sex
marriage ban.
Rallies attracted over
2000 people in Melbourne, 1500 in Sydney, 300 in
Perth, 150 each in Adelaide, Hobart and Lismore, 40
in the Blue Mountains, an action in Wagga Wagga and
a 7-car cavalcade in Brisbane.
In Melbourne 55 couples
took part in a mass commitment ceremony, with around
20 couples doing likewise in Sydney.
A couple from Armadale,
Sharon Clements and Fiona Sproles, told The Age
they would continue renewing their vows until they
carried legal weight, after first unofficially tying
the knot in 2004.
"Every year we are going
to keep doing this until we can do it legally", said
Fiona Sproles. "We still get people referring to
'your special friend', but we call each other
wives."
Politicians from
Liberal, Labor, Green and Democrat parties attended
and spoke at events along with ministers of religion
who are seeking the right to marry same-sex couples.
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Photo: Simon Margan
Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) join the rally down
Oxford Street to Hyde Park in Sydney. |
 |
| Brian Coates and Wayne Levi
shortly before exchanging
their “unlawful” marriage
vows at Springwood’s town
square in the Blue Mountains, NSW. |
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| Promotional flyer for Perth event. |
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| "Sad Anniversary Card" signing in Hobart. |
