To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives

This petition of the parishioners from the Life Church Mooroopna, draws to the attention of the House the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2010 which had its second reading on Wednesday 29 September 2010, which states that "The Marriage Equal Amendment Bill 2010 seeks to amend the Marriage Act 1961 to provide equality for same sex couples. The Bill would remove discrimination under the Marriage Act so that while marriage is still a union between two consenting adults, it is not defined by gender"

The parishioners of the Life Church Mooroopna recognize the importance that-

The petitioners believe that there are a variety of domestic arrangements available and recognized within Australia.

We therefore ask the House to protect the unique institution of marriage as traditionally understood and defined by the Marriage Act 1961 as "the union of man and a woman, to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life"

from 278 citizens

Petitions received.

Dear Murphy

Thank you for your letter of 25 August 2011 regarding a petition submitted to the Standing Committee on Petitions about the request that the Marriage Act 1961 be left unamended.

The Australian Government believes that the current definition of marriage in the Marriage Act 1961—`that marriage is between a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life'—is appropriate.

The Government believes that couples who have a mutual commitment to a shared life should be able to have their relationships recognised. The Government supports a nationally consistent framework for relationship recognition to be implemented by the States and Territories. New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory have established relationship recognition schemes, where the relationship is legally recognised by the act of registration. Relationships registered under these schemes are also now recognised in a wide range of Commonwealth laws. The Government will continue to encourage other jurisdictions to develop such schemes.

I hope this information is of assistance to the Committee when considering this petition.

from the Attorney-General, Mr McClelland