Business traffic usually goes heavily one way across the Tasman, but with the imminent passing of New Zealand’s gay marriage bill, thousands of same-sex Australian couples are expected to make the trek in the other direction.
After a landslide vote in favour of the Marriage Amendment Bill at its second parliamentary reading last month, the law is expected to pass on its third reading, which could be as early as this month.
For New Zealander Tabitha Huntley and her Australian partner, Sonia Guzzardi, the move delivers the chance for a legitimate wedding close to home, surrounded by friends and family.
“We want to have a nice wedding,” Huntley said. “Basically, because we can.
“It is important for us to have a legal marriage, even if it is not recognised in Australia.”
In Australia, same-sex couples can enter into a civil union, but that relationship is not legally equal to marriage.
Huntley and Guzzardi are among 2000 same-sex couples predicted to make the journey to New Zealand to take marriage vows.
Australian Marriage Equality national director Rodney Croome said for same-sex couples with a “strong desire” to marry, New Zealand would become an obvious choice.
“The fact that it is geographically and culturally close to Australia will encourage a large number to go to New Zealand to marry,” Croome said.
The expected trans-Tasman travel plans of couples tying the knot may mean Australia’s economy loses out on millions of dollars in wedding outlays.
More than 1300 Australian same-sex couples have already travelled overseas to legally marry in other countries. Those include Spain, Argentina and the United States.
Croome believes at least that many will marry in New Zealand, where there is no residency requirement.
“We’re talking about at least a couple of thousand couples, and each of those couples is spending the average wedding spend – which in Australia is about $36,000. We’re talking about hundreds of millions of dollars,” Croome said.
“If the Australian Parliament wasn’t so backward on the issue, then that money would be spent on wedding services here. The Government is putting prejudice ahead of economic good sense.”
Celebrants in New Zealand say Australian couples are already calling.
“I’ve had more than a couple of inquiries from Australia,” said New Zealand celebrant Terry Parkes.
Gay marriage tourism has become a growth market overseas, with US states Massachusetts and New York marketing themselves as legal wedding destinations.
Author: Natalie Tencic
Publication: Fairfax NZ News
Publication Date: April 7, 2013