Andrew Leigh

This afternoon I spoke to ABC Canberra 666 host Alex Sloan about today's High Court ruling against the ACT's marriage equality legislation. Listen here.

ACT Federal Labor members also issued a joint statement expressing disappointment and urging the Prime Minister to bring the debate to the floor of the Parliament. While the High Court found the landmark ACT law unconstitutional, the Court also stated that ‘marriage’ in the Australian Constitution includes a marriage between persons of the same sex. This means that the Parliament can legislate for marriage equality.

JOINT MEDIA STATEMENT



Federal Labor Members in the ACT

Andrew Leigh MP, Member for Fraser
Gai Brodtmann MP, Member for Canberra
Kate Lundy, Senator for the ACT

CALL FOR TONY ABBOTT TO ALLOW SAME-SEX MARRIAGE CONSCIENCE VOTE


We are very disappointed with the decision today by the High Court to strike out the territory’s same-sex marriage law.

This is a sad day for those same-sex couples that took advantage of the ACT’s ground-breaking legislation and tied the knot since Saturday.

We commend ACT Labor on its efforts to advance the cause of equality.

We also respect the decision of the High Court.

The Prime Minister must now deliver on his pledge that the Liberal Party room will revisit the question of whether to have a conscience vote on same-sex marriage.

The Abbott Government chose to mount this legal challenge at a cost to taxpayers when this is an inherently political decision that should be decided in the Federal Parliament.