LOCAL civil celebrants have welcomed the idea of a referendum on marriage equality, but are divided over the prospect of marrying same-sex couples in Swan Hill.
Currently, couples of the same gender are unable to legally wed in Australia and this week a bill to amend the Marriage Act is due to come before parliament, although unlikely to pass.
Registered celebrant Carolyn Harrop, who has performed more than 175 weddings in the Swan Hill region, said marriage equality was inevitable, and likened the current debate to the introduction of the single parents pension in 1975 — a controversial topic at the time that has since become widely accepted.
“The bottom line is we’re all people,” Ms Harrop said.
“We all have feelings and choices and we should be allowed to make those choices, especially when there’s love involved.”
However, another local celebrant does not believe the Marriage Act should be amended to include same-sex couples.
For more on this story, grab a copy of Monday’s Guardian (August 17).
