Launceston Council criticised for not approving marriage equality support bill
Image: Launceston Town Hall
A MOTION to have Launceston City Council become the latest local government area in Australia officially in favour of marriage equality has failed.
Earlier this week, during a meeting for the Tasmanian council, the motion by Cr Emma Williams to support marriage equality was defeated with seven votes against it and three votes in favour.
According to The Examiner, Williams told the meeting that young people were at risk of taking their own lives because of the discrimination they faced for their sexuality.
‘‘While Britain, New Zealand and the majority of the United States have legalised marriage equality, Australia trails behind and has been chastised for doing so by the UN Human Rights Commission,’’ she said.
The councillors who voted against her motion reportedly said their reason was because it was not an issue for local government.
Australian Marriage Equality national director and Tasmanian of the Year Rodney Croome believes this went against everything Launceston City Council stood for.
“Promoting social inclusion is core Launceston Council business according to the council’s own founding documents, so by dismissing this motion [marriage equality] the council is effectively saying inclusion is for everyone except same-sex couples and their families,” he said in a statement.
“Councils across regional and rural Australia have passed equivalent motions, so Launceston Council’s excuse about this not being Council business just doesn’t wash.”
Both Croome and Williams have said they believe that the lack marriage equality support in the council will have negative affects on the mental health of the local LGBTI community.
In response to the critical responses from the community, the council agreed to undergo further public consultation on the motion and for it to be co-ordinated by a council committee.
In 2012 Hobart and Glenorchy councils both supported the reform and in recent months marriage equality has been supported by other regional and rural city councils such as Geelong, Ballarat, Surf Coast, Byron Bay, Albury, and Wodonga.
Many councils in suburban areas of major cities have also passed motions in support of marriage equality.
They are right. It’s not a local council issue. Its a federal issue, however that is not a good enough reason to vote against it when you have a chance to show support. If all or even a majority of local councils show support, then its seen at a state level and if all the states agree because their small representative groups agree (which is the point of government, to represent the people). The federal government has no choice but to pass through the issue. Stop discriminating against gay couples. How does them getting married harm you at all?!?!?!
Just like the federal parliament – they voted it down and just proved to the rest of the western world that Australians are embarrassedly behind the times as per usual on marriage equality!
Poor form, LCC. Yes, this is a federal issue, but all the councillors that voted “no” have ensured their city is in the news for all the wrong reasons. Well done Andrea Dawkins, Emma Williams and Janie Finlay who voted to show Launceston as a modern, inclusive city – not one stuck in the past.