Historic news today as Tasmania looks set to become the first state of Australia to have its Parliament green-light gay marriages.

With in-principle support from the Tasmanian Labor Party, and calling on the Liberals to follow suit, Tasmanian Greens Leader Nick McKim (pictured) today tabled a motion in their Lower House for a change in marriage laws to include same-sex couples.

“The Greens believe the law needs to be changed to make same sex marriage legal, and poll after poll shows that Tasmanians and Australians are ready for change,” says McKim.

“This is an historic opportunity for the Tasmanian Parliament to show to the rest of the country what a forward-thinking and progressive state Tasmania has become.

“Tasmania is now poised to lead the way, from being the last state to decriminalise homosexuality to the first state to vote in support of marriage equality.”

TASMANIA LEADS THE WAY

The motion won’t legalise same-sex marriage in Tasmania, but it will send a very strong signal to Federal Parliamentarians that change is inevitable, and that people expect them to meet their responsibilities and amend federal legislation to remove this discrimination, McKim notes.

“The Greens still believe that reform in Federal Parliament is the best mechanism to end legal discrimination against same-sex couples,” he adds.

“If Canberra doesn’t act by the end of the year, then the Greens have said we are prepared to bring on our Bills in the Tasmanian Parliament, which are currently tabled and would see Tasmania become the first state to legalise same sex marriage.”

The motion will be debated and voted on tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon.

Back in 1997, Tasmania became the last state of Australia to decriminalise homosexuality. In 2003 it was the first state to allow same-sex civil unions, and last year the first to acknowledge overseas same-sex marriages.

WEDDING PRESENTS

Today, the Australian Marriage Equality lobby group released a study showing Tasmania’s tourism industry may benefit by as much as $136 million if it is the first state to allow same-sex marriages.

“Our survey shows 87% of Australian same-sex partners would marry in Tasmania if it was the first state to allow same-sex marriages, and that 60% would spend over $10,000 on their Tasmanian wedding and honeymoon,” says AME’s Alex Greenwich.

“Should the Federal Government not act and Tasmania goes it alone becoming the first state in Australia with same-sex marriage, it can expect to benefit from a massive economic windfall similar to US states which have pioneered on this issue.”