news, local-news

THE LABOR party has announced it will introduce legislation to allow same-sex marriage to take place in Tasmania. Premier Lara Giddings said the Parliamentary Labor Party resolved it would pursue the reform in this term of government. ``Labor has a proud history of tackling discrimination and introducing important social reform,'' Ms Giddings said. ``The PLP was proud to support the principle of same-sex marriage in Parliament last year but it has been agreed that the time has come to act decisively on this issue.'' Ms Giddings said she hoped the Commonwealth Parliament would also act on the issue of marriage equality for same-sex couples. ``I expect the rest of the country will be watching closely as we work through this process.'' Eleven countries recognise same sex marriage including Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa and Sweden. ``Likewise, jurisdictions in Mexico and the United State, have introduced state-based laws so there is precedent for the Tasmanian Labor Party's position.'' Ms Giddings said the time was right. ``If Parliaments of the past did not have the courage to respond to changing community values then Tasmania would still be a state where homosexuality is illegal, where women don't have the vote and no apology has been made to the Aboriginal stolen generations.''

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