Marco Bulmer-Rizzi lost his husband David on Saturday. Now, he is fighting for the right to have their marriage recognised on David's death certificate.

David died in a freak accident at a friend's house in South Australia, he fell down a set of stairs and tragically suffered a severe head injury. The British couple were visiting Australia to celebrate their honeymoon after being legally married in London in June 2015 and having a larger ceremony in Greece. It should have been the happiest time of their lives, but it quickly turned into a nightmare.

While dealing with the death of his husband in a foreign country, Marco discovered South Australia doesn't recognise same-sex marriage, even if the couple was married in another country.

In a report by Buzzfeed on Tuesday, a widowed and heartbroken Marco detailed the injustice he felt after the South Australian government denied his marriage was legitimate and that his love's death certificate would be stamped with "never married."

Marco told the publication he felt like he was "nothing" to the Australian government and called on the British consulate to help. “Normally, if you die abroad you can register the death at the British consulate and get a UK-style death certificate; however, Australia is expressly excluded," he said. Australia's Northern Territory and Western Australia also don't recognise same-sex international marriages.

My best friend died on his honeymoon in Australia. His husband has been humiliated with a death certificate that reads #NeverMarried — Rach M (@Rach41M) January 19, 2016

Rachel Meling, a close friend of David's and his "best woman" at the wedding, told Mashable Australia via email that she had flown to Australia from the UK with David's father, Nigel Bulmer, to support him and Marco during "this horrendous time."

"I can confirm they are most definitely married," she wrote, stating she gave a speech at the couple's wedding. She said the news of the accident was the worst moment of her life, but it was made worse by the injustice faced when they arrived in Australia.

"We were all sat round the table while Marco told the funeral director what arrangements he wanted for David," Meling said. "I knew something was wrong when the man kept asking Nigel's approval even after Nigel insisted 'Marco is David's husband please speak to him.'"

The undertaker then advised the group that due to South Australian legislation, the death certificate would list David's marital status as "Never Married" and Nigel was in fact the next of kin. Marco asked if David's status could be noted as "Married under UK law," or "Marriage not recognised in Australia," or even left blank — but none of the options were allowed.

Meling said he advised Marco it was due to not being "one of the drop down options on the computer." She was so angry she had to leave the room to compose herself.

"This is such an insult to a man who fought all his life for equality and marriage rights and to the love he and Marco shared," she said. "In addition it left David's father in tears and when news of it reached David's mother and sister, who are grieving thousands of miles away at home, they were both equally angry and offended. Grief is bad enough without being reminded that your loved one is seen by some others as some sort of second-class human being."

David's body is expected to be cremated and his husband plans to take the ashes with him when he returns to the UK, according to Buzzfeed.

After the news drew ire from around the world and within Australia, including a campaign by activist group GetUp!, South Australia's Premier, Jay Weatherill, called Marco to apologise and explain he was pushing for the legislation to change.

“They are looking to actively change it through legislation and he told me it would happen in the next few months. He promised me that they would reissue the death certificate once that has happened," Marco told Buzzfeed.

I am David Bulmer-Rizzi's father and I want to thank everyone for their words of support. It really means a lot. — Nigel Bulmer (@NigelBulmer1) January 20, 2016

Weatherill wrote in a Facebook statement that an initial bill was introduced to parliament last year to begin the removal of discrimination from South Australia legislation, and further legislation will be issued this year for the "more complex issues" such as recognising same-sex marriage in death.

The South Australian Law Reform Institute released a report in September, noting there were at least 14 pieces of legislation that discriminated against LGBTQ members of the community in South Australia. Weatherill said at the time he would begin implementing changes immediately.

Weatherill told Mashable Australia in an emailed statement Thursday that he phoned Marco on Wednesday night, and expressed his condolences for the loss of his husband.

"I also expressed my sorrow for the way in which he was treated," Weatherill said. "He told me that in a range of ways he felt disrespected by a number of authorities that he was associated with, not all Government some of them in Government, and I expressed my apology for that behaviour.

"It is something that has happened, it shouldn’t have happened and I am sad that it happened here in South Australia and I expressed my sorrow about that ... This will only be properly dealt with once we have same-sex marriage legislation at the Federal level."

South Australian Sen. Penny Wong also put her support behind the change of legislation. "This case is a tragic example of how Australia’s marriage laws discriminate against gays and lesbians, causing needless pain, suffering and heartache," she wrote on Facebook Wednesday. "It shows why Federal Parliament needs to legislate for marriage equality and bring Australia into line with countries like the United Kingdom. Our sympathies go out to Mr Bulmer-Rizzi at this difficult time."

Meling said she looks forward to the changes, so that no one else needs to suffer through this agony after losing a loved one.

"We want to make it clear that we aren't here to judge or make comment on Australian marriage laws, that is your business and your fight — although I very much hope you win," she said. "All we ask is that you recognise legal marriages made in other countries for administration purposes and so this additional and unnecessary hurt does not befall another family.

"David was fortunate enough to have a fabulous, loving and supportive family for whom his sexuality was irrelevant and who not only view Marco as their son but respect that all these decisions are his to make."

Marco Bulmer-Rizzi has been contacted for comment.