Australian Immigration Daily News

Despite heavy endorsement across all parties, the NSW Same-Sex Marriage Bill has failed to get through in the Upper House.

The debate was held on the NSW Cross Party Marriage Equality Working Group Private Member's Bill this morning at NSW Parliament House.

The Bill which was initially introduced by frontbencher Penny Sharpe from the ALP on 1 November, was debated for about two hours before a vote was called.

Members such as Michael Veitch and Sarah Mitchell implored that the House consider ending the discrimination and voting in favour of the Bill.  Penny Sharpe and Helen Westwood told personal stories and made suggestions that it was time for change.

Other members of the Upper House were vocal in their opposition of same-sex marriage, with Liberal Party Right-Winger, David Clarke saying “I am opposed to same-sex marriage for a host of reasons and will not, now, or ever support same sex marriage”.  David Clarke is a Catholic and his wife is part of Opus Dei. 

At the end of the day it did not pass.  So for all those migration agents out there that thought that gay marriage might be a way of showing that a same-sex couple are in a genuine and continuing relationship....nope.  For all those couples wanting to tie the knot then submit subclass 820 and 801 partner visa applications on the basis of marriage, the end of that plan is already here.