Western Australia is joining Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria in introducing a bill which legalises same-sex marriage.

Brought in by Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren (pictured), the Marriage Equality Bill 2012 will enable same-sex couples to marry in Western Australia.

“Like other Greens State Bills in Australia, it will authorise celebrants, establish a system of registration and provide for dissolution and annulment of same sex marriages,” she says.

“All eyes are on Canberra now, but our Bill stands ready in the wings so that Western Australians can enjoy marriage equality alongside residents in Tasmania and the other states who have already signalled their support for gay marriage.”

So why are various states introducing their own Marriage Equality Bills now? “If all efforts at a federal level fail because Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard refuse to get out of the way of a reform the majority of Australians support, then I wanted to provide the opportunity at the state level to make gay marriage happen,” explains MacLaren.

With the City of Perth’s Pride Festival around the corner, it is timely to take one more step toward full equality, she added.

The Pride Festival’s Winter Quiz Night fundraiser is on tomorrow night, with no bookings left available.

One of the festival’s major events, the annual City of Perth Fairday, is set for Saturday October 6 at Russell Square in Northbridge. Find details below and more on the PrideFest website.