The Federal
Labor MP for Charlton, Kelly Hoare, has written to the President of the
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC), the Hon John von
Doussa QC, asking him to initiate an investigation into discrimination
against same sex couples resulting from recent amendments to the Marriage Act 1961.
Kelly Hoare's
electorate of Charlton includes the southern suburbs of Newcastle and
areas west of Lake Macquarie.
Ms Hoare has
also publicly stated her support for same-sex marriage defying Labor Leader
Kim Beazley who is opposed to equal marriage rights.
In a letter
to the national convener of Australian Marriage Equality (AME), Peter
Furness, Ms Hoare stated that she shared concerns that "recent amendments to
the Marriage Act 1961 expressly prevent same sex couples from
expressing their love and commitment in marriage and that (this)
discrimination had no place under Australian law".
"I support
(the) campaign to extend equal marriage rights to all Australians and
commend you on your efforts to remove this discrimination from the law",
said Ms Hoare.
AME convener,
Peter Furness, said that a growing band of MPs from various political
parties were increasingly willing to stand up for equality and that the days
of Australia's discriminatory marriage laws were numbered.
