More than 80 people braved Ballarat’s winter weather to demand an end to institutionalised discrimination against LGBTIQ couples. Ballarat’s Equal Love rally featured several speakers, including Equal Love (Ballarat) convener Koby Bunney.
“Love is love and it always wins,” he said at the end of a march from Bakery Hill to Ballarat Town Hall.
People were moved to hear from several couples whose relationships are not recognised by Australian law. Many voiced their frustration that while couples in Ireland and the US could now choose to get married, this was not yet the case in Australia.
The crowd of local supporters, straight allies and families heard several speakers dispute the justifications for the “traditional” definition of marriage — that is between a man and a woman — enshrined in law by then-prime minister John Howard in 2004.
Equal Love (Ballarat) is busy discussing and organising in the run up to August 11 when a marriage equality bill, co-sponsored by Liberal MP Warren Entsch and Labor MP Terri Butler, will be put before parliament.
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