From: Alex Greenwich (AME)
Date: 8 July 2011 12:45
Subject: MEDIA RELEASE: GILLARD STOPS GAY AUSSIES MARRYING IN NEW YORK
To: Michael BarnettAUSTRALIAN MARRIAGE EQUALITY
Media Release
Friday July 8th 2011GILLARD STOPS GAY AUSSIES FROM MARRYING IN NEW YORK
The Gillard Government is blocking the marriages of gay Australians in New York.
When New York state’s new equal marriage law takes effect on July 27th same-sex couples from other countries will be able to marry there if they provide a Certificate of Non-Impediment to Marriage (CNI) to show they are not already married in their home country.
But the Australian Government refuses to give such certificates to same-sex couples intending to marry overseas, a policy defended by Julia Gillard as recently as the 14th of June, 2011.
Australian Marriage Equality National Convener, Alex Greenwich, called the policy petty and mean-spirited.
“The Gillard Government’s policy of not allowing same-sex marriages in Australia forces same-sex couples to go overseas if they want to marry, but when they apply to marry in another country Julia Gillard is there saying “no” as well”, Mr Greenwich said.
“This means some couples miss out on entitlements and protections they can only receive overseas if they are married in a country that would otherwise recognise their committment, and it causes endless hassles for couples who have planned their wedding only to find it can’t go ahead.”
In response to a question from Independent MP, Andrew Wilkie on June 14th Julia Gillard incorrectly stated that CNIs are issued to show if a marriage is recognised in Australia (details here), but the New York Marriage Registry clearly defines a CNI in the following way:
“A Certificate of Non-Impediment is an official Certification that the City Clerk’s Office has no information that would be an “impediment” to your getting a Marriage License in the City of New York.”
In 2009, a tri-partisan Senate inquiry condemned the policy of not issuing CNIs to same-sex couples and called for it be scrapped on the following basis:
“A decision by a sovereign nation to allow marriage between a couple of the same sex should be a matter for that nation, and not a matter against which Australia should throw up bureaucratic barriers.”
On Wednesday, openly-gay South Australian Labor State Upper House member, Ian Hunter, condemned the Gillard Government’s refusal to issue CNIs and revealed he and his partner have officially applied for a CNI to marry overseas. (Details here).
Yesterday in an interview with Sky News, Julia Gillard said she may not respect a motion at December’s National Labor Conference in favour of allowing same-sex marriages. (Details here)
For more information contact Alex Greenwich on 0421 316 335.
Fascist Dictator Julia Gillard stops gay Aussies marrying in New York
Australian Fascist Dictator Julia Gillard denies Australian’s the right to get married overseas by refusing to issue a Certificate of Non-Impediment.
I wonder if a “single certificate” from Births, Deaths, and Marriage would be enough to show no impediment.
Hmm, better yet, a certificate of registration of a domestic partnership to each other from BDM. But that’s state, not federal…
could you not just lie about who you are planning to marry to get the certificate…… i know you shouldnt have to, but if she’s not playing fair and you want to do it, take whatever steps ou need to!
The CNI requires both names of the couple intending to marry overseas. One party must be male andthe other must be female. I’ve put a link to the document in the main story above. There would presumably be an issue if they didnt match the names on the marriage application form.
I don’t know why its such a big deal to her I mean I don’t give a damn if someones gay aslong as they don’t try hitting me me. if they do than I get very upset.
A Marriage Certificate was only meant for Slaves. It was their permission from their masters to be wed and their guarantee that they would not be sold separately but rather as a package.
It has not changed.
I have been wed under common law in the past. A common law marriage is simply the ceremony WITHOUT signing the contract afterwards. You are declaring in front of witnesses that you devote yourself to one you love, forsaking all others.
If the Unlawful, Corporate, De-Facto australian government doesnt want to play then stuff em. Go with the Common Law Marriage, who gives a rats if they refer to it as De-Facto!
If you were wed by the Burger King, then Ronald McDonald would call it De-Facto as well. The government is just another corporation, it has its own ABN and is registered to Washington DC.
Ahhh Gillard the Despot, the Dictator, The Tyrannic, and now the Homophobe. The loud-mouthed lump just can’t stand NOT controlling everything and everyone!