Same-sex marriage in Australia

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Australia since 9 December 2017. Legislation to allow it, the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Act 2017, passed the Australian Parliament on 7 December 2017 and received royal assent from Governor-General Peter Cosgrove the following day. The law came into effect on 9 December, immediately recognising overseas same-sex marriages. The first same-sex wedding under Australian law was held on 15 December 2017.^{[nb 1]} The passage of the law followed a voluntary postal survey of all Australians, in which 61.6% of respondents supported legalisation of same-sex marriage.^[1]

Other types of recognition for same-sex couples are also available. Under federal law, same-sex couples can also be recognised as de facto relationships. De facto couples have most of the same rights and responsibilities afforded to married couples, although these rights may be difficult to assert and are not always recognised in practice. Although there is no national civil union or relationships register scheme in Australia, most states and territories have legislated for civil unions or domestic partnership registries. Registered unions are recognised as de facto relationships under federal law.

Prior to legalisation, 22 bills to allow same-sex marriage were introduced to Parliament between September 2004 and May 2017. These failed attempts came after the government amended the law in August 2004 to prevent same-sex marriages. The Australian Capital Territory passed a same-sex marriage law in December 2013 that was struck down by the High Court for inconsistency with federal law. Australia was the second country in Oceania to allow same-sex couples to marry after New Zealand.^[2]

Cite error: There are <ref group=nb> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=nb}} template (see the help page).

^ Commons Librarian (12 August 2021). "Marriage Equality Campaign Timeline and Reflections". The Commons Social Change Library. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
^ "Same-Sex Marriage Around the World". Pew Research Center. 17 May 2019. Archived from the original on 30 June 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2019.

[2] Commons Librarian (12 August 2021). "Marriage Equality Campaign Timeline and Reflections". The Commons Social Change Library. Retrieved 4 August 2022.

[3] "Same-Sex Marriage Around the World". Pew Research Center. 17 May 2019. Archived from the original on 30 June 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2019.

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