The legal recognition of same-sex relationships has been on Australia’s political agenda for several years. Australian federal law has been amended numerous times to afford same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples in areas such as taxation, employment and health. Yet a national civil union or marriage scheme has not been made to include same-sex couples. By state law, gay couples can join in civil partnerships or registered relationships in Tasmania, Victoria, ACT, NSW and Queensland. The Marriage Equality (Same Sex) Act 2013 was recently passed in the ACT, the first Australian state to legalise same-sex marriage, however the Act was repealed after the High Court ruled it was invalid.
What about the attitudes of church attenders? The majority of Australian church attenders disagree or strongly disagree with same-sex marriage (73%), and only a small proportion agree or strongly agree (13%). Attenders are more accepting of same-sex civil unions, with 34% agreeing or strongly agreeing they should be legalised.
Author/s: Hancock, N., Pepper, M. & Powell, R.
Price: Free
Reference:
Hancock, N., Pepper, M. & Powell, R. (2014) Attitudes to same-sex marriage and civil unions, NCLS Research Fact Sheet 14015. Adelaide: Mirrabooka Press.
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