There Will Instantly Be Thousands of Marriages The Moment Marriage Equality Passes

The marriages of thousands of LGBTIQ+ couples in Australia will become legal the moment the Governor-General signs off on the proposed equal marriage bill that is currently set before parliament.

With marriage equality legislation set to come before the House of Reps this week, where it is expected to pass in a similar fashion to its recent win in the Senate, you can be sure that couples around Australia are already planning a rush to the altar.

Thing is, due to Australia taking its sweet time securing equal rights for its citizens, many LGBTIQ+ people went overseas for marriages which are not currently recognised under Australian law. Assuming the bill passes through the House, however, these marriages will instantly become legal in a hot flash of queerness.

here’s the moment marriage equality passed the Senate – huge applause, cheering, hugging. What a moment ????? pic.twitter.com/B7OZpgIJzb

— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) November 29, 2017

As Anna Brown, a director of the Human Rights Law Centre and Yes campaign leader, explained in The Sydney Morning Herald, “there’ll be no need to register your overseas marriage or take any steps – the recognition will simply follow the law coming into effect. Regardless of whether you were married in 2007 or you’re planning to get married in 2018, your marriage will be recognised.”

It’s estimated that thousands of Australian citizens have married overseas in countries where marriage equality has already been legalised, such as Britain, Canada, the US and the Netherlands. Close to 1,000 of these couples have married in New Zealand since they changed their marriage laws in 2013. Also around 450 Australian dual-citizens were married in the country at British consulates.

The marriage bill will come up for debate in the lower house next week, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull stating that he was “very confident” it will pass.

“Both houses will sit until it is done,” he said.