A LIBERAL MP has choked back tears during debate on same-sex marriage in State Parliament’s Upper House this evening.
Liberal MLC Michelle Lensink was speaking on a motion put by Labor MLC Gerry Kandelaars to congratulate the New Zealand Parliament on passing gay marriage laws.
The motion passed 11 votes to 10.
Ms Lensink’s voice broke as she spoke to support it and, after a long pause, she apologised for becoming emotional.
“Relationships and stability should be encouraged,” she said.
“I have too many gay and lesbian friends not to support (the motion) on their behalf.”
Mr Kandelaars, who has a gay daughter, said current Australian marriage laws were unfair.
“My son can and is married but my daughter can’t marry her partner,” he said.
“The question is why?
“There is broad support across our community to see a change here.”
Gay Labor Minister Ian Hunter travelled to Spain in December to marry his long-term partner Leith Semmens.
He said it had not greatly changed their relationship but it had changed the way others viewed it.
“There’s a very different change in how I’m treated in my partner’s family,” he said.
“The concept of marriage is so well known to us.
“For members of my extended family who didn’t really know how to cope with our relationship, now they do – it’s a marriage.”
Labor Leader in the Upper House Gail Gago said equal marriage was a “human right”.
Liberal MP John Dawkins said he believed marriage should be between a man and a woman.
Author: Lauren Novak
Publication: adelaidnow
Publication Date: 19 June 2013