Two gay marriage bills before parliament

13 Feb 2012, 6:04 pm   -   Source: AAP
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A Senate inquiry is set to investigate another gay marriage bill introduced in the upper house last year. (File)

A Senate inquiry is set to investigate another gay marriage bill introduced in the upper house last year. (File)

Two separate bills to legalise same-sex marriage have been introduced in federal parliament on the eve of Valentine's Day.

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On the eve of Valentine's Day, three federal politicians have taken the first steps towards changing the law to allow all loved-up couples - regardless of their sexual orientation - to get married.

Two separate bills to legalise same-sex marriage were introduced in federal parliament on Monday, first by Australian Greens lower house MP Adam Bandt and independent Andrew Wilkie, and then by Labor's Stephen Jones.

The bills aim for the same result but differ in their wording, with the Greens bill appearing slightly more sensitive in language - adding the word "equality" - compared with Mr Jones' more straightforward legislation.

The lower house on Monday also began debating a motion from Mr Wilkie that asks politicians to ensure any amendments to the Marriage Act to broaden the definition of marriage to mean a union of "two people" instead of a man and a woman, did not force churches to marry same-sex couples.

"When the parliament does tackle this great reform I don't wish to be hindered by an argument that it might be seeking to force the churches to solemnise marriages they do not agree with," Mr Wilkie told the lower house.

Both bills put up on Monday contained these protections.

Mr Bandt told parliament he believed the power of love would eventually conquer all and predicted same-sex marriage would be legalised in Australia before the end of the year.

"I believe it is love that has brought us to this place in this debate and it is love that will carry us over the threshold of discrimination to full marriage equality," he said.

Mr Jones said the change to laws meant when same-sex couples committed to be together for life, that relationship would be recognised in law in the same way as marriage.

It was a human right not to be discriminated against on the grounds of sexuality, and opinion polls showed most Australians were now in favour of same-sex marriages, he told parliament.

"I believe that God made us all equal but different, not differently equal," he said.

But Liberal backbencher Barry Haase said the new laws seemed to be change for the sake of change and were "an affront to good government".

"It doesn't make sense for good, honest, upright members of this chamber to be dragged into such a debate simply because the government of the day wishes to embrace the minorities so as to maintain their support," he told the house.

He believed the government had embraced the motions "perhaps to take the scrutiny, the public heat, away from their frail policy and their untruths".

Another Liberal backbencher Alex Hawke said the proposed changes were an attack on those who supported marriage in its current form.

"It is an attack on the rights of all those people who support marriage, and they are, I believe, the majority," he told parliament.

Mr Hawke said he supported the use of relationship registers many states have for same-sex couples.

Advocates said concurrent polling showed 62 per cent of Australians supported the recognition of same-sex unions.

"Despite the fear campaign run by opponents of marriage equality, a consistently strong majority of Australians continue to support the reform," Australian Marriage Equality convenor Alex Greenwich said in a statement.

The Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby said letting same-sex couples get married was consistent with the Australian concept of a fair go for all.

Mr Bandt is expected to refer the two new bills to a Senate inquiry looking at another piece of Greens legislation on the same matter.

That inquiry must report by May 25, so a vote would be held after then.

Earlier on Monday, Mr Jones welcomed reports Opposition Leader Tony Abbott had told coalition MPs they could vote as they liked on the bills.

"There is support for change across all parties," he said, adding "many, many" MPs would like to back same-sex marriage.

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