2010 was a game-changing year for equality. Our key marriage equality moments show why.
Jan 8: The Portuguese Parliament passes legislation allowing same-sex couples to marry, showing that reform is possible in traditionally conservative, Catholic countries, and highlighting Australia’s backwardness on the issue. Other places that went on to allow same-sex marriages in 2010 included Argentina, Iceland, Washington DC and Mexico City.
Jan 29: AME highlights the economic case for marriage equality by releasing figures showing the Australian economy misses out on $700 million by not allowing same-sex couples to marry.
Feb 14: Hundreds of people march for marriage equality in Ballarat as part of the St Valentine’s Day National Day of Action. The march shows how marriage equality has mobilised people at a local as well as a national level.
Feb 25: The Greens’ Marriage Equality amendment bill is voted down in the Senate despite a national inquiry in 2009 which received over 11,000 submissions from supporters of equality. Many Labor and Coalition Senators are absent from the vote, giving campaigners hope they privately support reform.
May 11: Australia’s first book on marriage equality is launched in Melbourne with a nationally-televised debate between co-authors Rodney Croome and Bill Muehlenberg. Marriage equality again becomes a media talking point.
Jul 16: High-profile broadcaster, Derryn Hinch, says he was wrong to oppose marriage equality. Hinch’s change-of-heart sends a message to middle Australia that marriage equality is a mainstream issue that concerns everyone.
Jul 28: Openly gay Senator, Penny Wong, declares her opposition to marriage equality is justified on the basis of ‘culture religion and history’, echoing Julia Gillard’s declaration that she opposes marriage equality because of “our heritage as a Christian country”. There is an outcry.
Aug 14: Thousands rally for marriage equality across Australia with Melbourne’s rally featuring a giant Julia Gillard “not moving forward”. For six years thousands of Australians have rallied for marriage equality making it the most sustained LGBTI human rights street campaign in national history.
Aug 16: On national TV, Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, is asked by plumbing contractor, Vietnam vet and Liberal voter, Geoff Thomas, why his gay son doesn’t have the same rights as other Australians. Thomas’ stance is heralded for showing there is support for equality beyond the gay community and the inner city. On the same day former labor leader, Mark Latham, says he regrets supporting the ban on same-sex marriages as then Opposition Leader in 2004.
Aug 21: The ALP loses votes and a seat to the Greens in the 2010 federal election. Both Labor and Green strategists attribute the loss to Labor’s opposition to marriage equality. It is now considered impossible for Labor to go to the next election without taking action on the issue.
Sep 29: Tasmania becomes the first Australian state to recognise same-sex marriages performed overseas.
Oct 22: AME launches a campaign for a marriage equality conscience vote after a new national Galaxy poll shows 62% support for marriage equality and 78% support for a conscience vote. Subsequent polls show varying levels from 57% down to 46% (in a national poll that allowed respondents to answer “don’t care”). The Galaxy poll is vindicated by an end-of-year Newspoll which showed 61% support among West Australians.
Oct 25: ALP left-faction leader, Doug Cameron, becomes the first senior member of the Labor Party to publicly support marriage equality.
Nov 6: Labor right-wing power-broker, Senator Mark Arbib, who becomes the first government minister to declare his support for marriage equality. The leadership of Cameron and Arbib unleashes a torrent of support within the ALP that includes ALP National President, Anna Bligh, former ALP power-broker, Graham Richardson, and Tasmanian Premier, David Bartlett. As a result, the ALP National Conference is moved forward to the end of 2011 to re-evaluate the ALP’s opposition to marriage equality. Growing public support for equality within the ALP spills over into the union movement with a declaration of support from Australian Workers Union chiefs, Paul Howes and Bill Ludwig, and into the Liberal Party, with public support from Liberal MPs like Simon Birmingham, Teresa Gambaro and Mal Washer.
Nov 11: State same-sex marriage laws are introduced in South Australia, following their re-introduction in Tasmania two days earlier. MPs in Victoria and NSW vow to follow suit next year.
Nov 18: The House of Representatives passes a motion calling on all MPs to gauge the level of support for reform in their constituencies. As a result,Australian Marriage Equality and the Australian Christian Lobby launch campaigns to encourage their respective supporters to meet their MPs. The motion also unleashes a wave of coverage in local suburban, regional and rural newspapers.
Nov 27: The South Australian State Labor conference joins the Tasmanian, Victorian and Northern Territory conferences in supporting the principle of marriage equality. Senator Penny Wong declares her support for marriage equality.
Nov 29: CEO of the Australian Industry group, Heather Ridout, endorses marriage equality, joining other economic commentators such as Chris Bergfrom the Institute of Public Affairs.
Dec 20: The Catholic Church encourages parishioners to actively oppose marriage equality, reminding supporters of reform that 2011 will be the hardest, as well as the most important year yet for marriage equality.