2004‑2005‑2006‑2007
The Parliament of the
Commonwealth of Australia
THE SENATE
Presented and read a first time
Marriage (Relationships Equality) Amendment Bill 2007
No. , 2007
(Senator Nettle)
A Bill for an Act to amend the Marriage Act 1961 to create marriage equality for all relationships regardless of sexuality or gender identity, and for related purposes
Contents
1............ Short title............................................................................................ 1
2............ Commencement.................................................................................. 1
3............ Objects................................................................................................ 2
4............ Schedule(s).......................................................................................... 2
Schedule 1—Amendment of the Marriage Act 1961 3
A Bill for an Act to amend the Marriage Act 1961 to create marriage equality for all relationships regardless of sexuality or gender identity, and for related purposes
The Parliament of Australia enacts:
1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the Marriage (Relationships Equality) Amendment Act 2007.
2 Commencement
This Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.
3 Objects
The objects of this Act are to:
(a) remove from the Marriage Act 1961 discrimination on the basis of sexuality and gender identity; and
(b) permit marriage regardless of sexuality and gender identity.
4 Schedule(s)
Each Act that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.
Schedule 1—Amendment of the Marriage Act 1961
1 Subsection 5(1) (definition of marriage)
Omit the definition, substitute:
marriage means the union of two persons, regardless of their sexuality or gender identity, voluntarily entered into for life.
2 Subsection 45(2)
Omit “wife (or husband)”, substitute “spouse”.
3 Subsection 46(1)
Omit “a man and a woman”, substitute “two people”.
4 Subsection 72(2)
Omit “wife (or husband)”, substitute “spouse”.
5 Section 88EA
Repeal the section.
6 Part III of the Schedule (table item 1)
Omit “a husband and wife”, substitute “two people”.