The fourth annual Equal Love rally and exchange of "Midwinta" vows was held in Melbourne on August 3.
Sponsored by the Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby and the ALSO Foundation, the rally noted that some progress had been made with a Victorian relationships register imminent. However, same-sex relationships are still not fully recognised in law and marriage is still banned. Around 500 people joined the rally.
As well as calling for federal law to recognise the right for same-sex couples to marry, Equal Love calls on the Victorian government to extend domestic partnership laws to include parenting rights and the removal of all remaining instances of discrimination and the introduction of a civil union and/or relationship registration scheme.
It also calls on local councils to follow the example of the City of Melbourne and introduce a relationship registration scheme for same-sex couples.
In Sydney, a rally the same day drew 300 people to Taylor Square. The rally was addressed by Rachel Evans, a member of the Socialist Alliance, and the NSW Council for Civil Liberties' Cameron Murphy.
In Canberra, more than 50 people joined an August 2 demonstration for same-sex rights organised by the Campaign for Civil Unions. The rally heard from Kim Sattler from UnionsACT, Greens MLA Deb Foskey, Socialist Alternative's Rachel Morgain and Farida Iqbal from the Socialist Alliance.