AUSTRALIAN marriage equality campaigners have welcomed the return of Labor leader Kevin Rudd just hours before a ground-breaking reform was passed in the US Supreme Court.
“The majority of Australians who support marriage equality have two great reasons to celebrate today,” Australian Marriage Equality national director Rodney Croome said in Hobart this morning.
The US Supreme Court has struck down a law preventing the federal government from recognising same-sex marriages from those states that allow them, and has also allowed same-sex marriages to resume in California.
Mr Croome said activists were “overjoyed” the US Supreme Court had ruled in favour of the reform at the same time the first Australian prime minister to support gay marriage was re-elected as Labor leader.
The US decision has no immediate legal ramifications for Australia but Mr Croome says it “sends a powerful message”.
“If and when the Australian High Court considers the constitutionality of a federal or state same-sex marriage law, the US Supreme Court decisions will provide an important precedent,” he said.
“With Kevin Rudd set to become Australia’s first prime minister to support marriage equality, a new chapter in the … debate has opened.”
Author: Zara Dawtrey
Publication: themercury.com.au
Date: 27 June 2013