They say the time for marriage reform is now. But how about the idea that we should just abolish the Marriage Act altogether?

Debate about marriage is back on the agenda, thanks to the efforts of David Leyonhjelm. The Liberal Democratic senator has vowed to introduce a private members bill aimed at rewriting the definitive bit in the Marriage Act that at present limits matrimony to couples comprising one man and one woman. If the definition of marriage in the Act was changed, as the Senator and others propose, unions between a man and a man, or a woman and a woman, could be officially recognised in the same way '‘traditional'’ marriages have been, and are.

It’s a proposal born out of a modern movement proponents say is all about achieving ‘'marriage equality'’. Marriage equality – achieved when loving relationships between a couple of consenting adults are equal, regardless of whether the couple comprises two men or two women. Marriage equality provides that all Australians should expect their relationships might one day enjoy equal legal and social rights and recognition, regardless of their sexuality.

Clearly, marriage equality has a lot going for it. Marriage is a great idea. Equality is a great idea; Fairness is an Australian ideal. But the push for marriage equality is not without problems. Though redefining marriage to allow men to get hitched to other men broadens the scope for matrimony, it still restricts marriage to two people. As many people have pointed out, the popular idea of ‘'marriage equality'’ is still not relevant to all relationships – just monogamous ones. This, despite the fact that polygamous relationships have been, and are, idealised in many cultures. Just not ‘'ours'’.