Australia tries to stop citizens from marrying overseas
Australia's government is trying to stop its citizens who live overseas from entering into same-sex marriages in countries that allow them, The Age newspaper reported Jan. 14.
The tactic being utilized is refusing to provide written proof to the other nation that the Australian in question is free to marry.
In one case, Peter Kakucska, an Australian living in Vienna who wanted to marry his Austrian partner in the Netherlands, where same-sex marriage is allowed, was given stamped certifications of the antigay policies by Australia's Austrian embassy.
One certification said: 'Following the advice of the Australian Attorney-General's Department we herewith certify that Australian law does not allow the issue of a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage to persons wishing to enter into a same-sex marriage.'
A second document refused to confirm that Kakucska was single.
The Netherlands ultimately let the couple marry anyway, when presented with the Australian refusals and Kakucska's affidavit that he was single.
Gay activist Rodney Croome of the Australian Coalition for Equality called the government's actions 'mean-spirited and bloody-minded.'
Euro Parliament demands clampdown on homophobia
The European Parliament passed a resolution Jan. 17 demanding that its 25 member-states clamp down on homophobia, protect GLBT people from discrimination and extend them full equal rights.
The vote was 468 to 149 with 41 abstentions.
The resolution was aimed in particular at nations such as Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania where governments, religious leaders and antigay organizations have stepped up oppression of the gay community in recent years.
The document cited 'a series of worrying events ... in a number of EU member states ... ranging from banning gay pride or equality marches to the use by leading politicians and religious leaders of inflammatory or threatening language or hate speech, failure by police to provide adequate protection or even breaking up peaceful demonstrations, violent demonstrations by homophobic groups, and the introduction of changes to constitutions explicitly to prohibit same-sex unions.'
The parliamentarians urged the European Commission 'to ensure that all member states ... are correctly implementing Directive 2000/78/EC ( establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation ) and to start infringement proceedings against those member states that fail to do so.'
They also told the commission 'to consider the use of criminal penalties in cases of violation' of directives based on Article 13 of the European Community Treaty, which empowers the Council of the European Union to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and other factors.
In a press release coinciding with the parliamentary debate, the European branch of the International Lesbian and Gay Association stated:
'Last year the European Union witnessed the most appalling manifesttions of homophobia and discrimination against LGBT people. [ P ] eaceful LGBT marches promoting equality and tolerance were banned or hindered by authorities in Poland, Latvia and Romania. Appallingly extreme and hateful statements humiliating, ridiculing and discriminating against LGBT people came out from some senior politicians and religious leaders in Poland and Latvia.
'Poland closed the nation's equality body, which dealt with various forms of discrimination including on the grounds of sexual orientation,' the group continued. 'Latvia remains the only EU member state which, despite the requirement of the EU Employment Equality Directive, did not explicitly ban sexual orientation discrimination in employment and has now amended its constitution to ban same-sex marriage. A similar proposal is being debated in Lithuania.'
