TRUGANINA’S Lana Callus is among the many Australians considering travelling to New Zealand to tie the knot after the country’s parliament legalised same-sex marriage.
Ms Callus is a vocal campaigner for same-sex marriage, taking part in a mass wedding on ABC TV’s In Gordon Street Tonight with partner Marty Ghiller last year.
She also sent a petition with hundreds of signatures to Prime Minister and Lalor MP Julia Gillard, calling on her to legalise gay marriage.
While Ms Callus thought many people in same-sex relationships would travel to New Zealand to get married, she wanted the federal government to follow in its neighbour’s footsteps and change Australia’s laws.
“We know the minute we hit customs in Australia [the marriage] won’t mean anything, but we want to stand up in front of our friends and family and marry the one we love.
“We are not asking to change the world. We just want the right to get married.”
Ms Callus said she would feel like a second-class citizen until she received the right to marry in Australia. An attempt to debate changes to the Marriage Act in September last year was voted down 98-42.
Werribee’s Michael Young, who started a social group for Wyndham’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer [GLBTIQ] residents, said it was “embarrassing” that the government and opposition did not support gay marriage.
“This basic human right is being denied to us. The government and opposition are still giving in to the minority religious view and ignoring the overwhelming opinion of Australians.”
Ms Gillard said she believed marriage was between a man and a woman but would again allow Labor MPs a conscience vote on the issue.
Opposition leader Tony Abbott said he did not want Australia’s marriage laws to change but the Coalition would consider allowing MPs a conscience vote after the September election.
