Australian Apex Court Hearing Legal Challenges On Same-Sex Marriage

Australia’s law needs a change to accommodate same-sex marriage, but ahead of the final dong the government wants to hold a non-binding postal survey to accumulate support so that a bill can be tabled in the Parliament later in 2017.

Meanwhile, apex court of the country has started hearing legal challenges again the voting on same-sex marriage and it is learned if it is successful and in favor of the agenda there will be no requirement of the national survey.

If believed to legal experts, the country’s highest court will run the matter to the earliest as the national vote is planned to begin from September 12 even though controversy has emerged over the A$122 million cost and also fearing hate-filled campaigns may mushroom.

It is argued the vote is invalid as funding of it was not earlier allocated through a normal parliamentary process and the government unlocked the fund through an act that allows financial support to initiatives required for urgent and unforseen circumstances.

Some points out that changing the Marriage Act is not an urgent matter and the vote is not unforseen too as the concept of same-sex marriage in Australia was earlier discussed in the month of March this year.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is overseeing the vote and its authority is being questioned on the matter as elections in the country are overseen by the Australian Electoral Commission.

Many supporters of same-sex marriage argue the parliament alone must debate and do the needful changes.