Gay marriage postal survey: UN recommends Australia revise laws 'irrespective of results'

The United Nations Human Rights Committee has criticised Australia’s voluntary postal survey, saying it is not an acceptable decision-making method. The committee has suggested Australia to urgently legislate and make same-sex marriage legal, irrespective of the results of the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey.

“The Committee is concerned about the explicit ban on same-sex marriage in the Marriage Act 1961 that results in discriminatory treatment of same-sex couples, including in matters related to divorce of couples who married overseas,” the report reads. The UN also encourages Australia to ensure that all laws give equal protection to members of the LGBTI.

The UN also raised concerns about requiring young transgender people to receive court authorisation for “stage 2” hormone treatment. Human Rights Law Centre advocacy director Anna Brown said the country appears to be the only jurisdiction in the world to require this.

Brown added that the nation gets international attention for the wrong reasons. She maintained that the committee has rightly criticised the government for putting LGBTI Aussies through a public opinion poll.

The UN said Australian politicians must already be aware that human rights should not be put to a majority vote. It adds that Australia has to do its job and vote on a bill to deliver equality for LGBTI couples.

Brown praised Attorney-General George Brandis’ support for trans teenagers. “The Attorney-General’s support for preventing harm caused by unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles to transgender teenagers accessing essential medical treatment is a great example of how the Australian Government can take a stand to protect the rights of LGBTI people,” she said, according to QNews.

The committee’s report also criticised high levels of violence against women in Australia, the nation’s rate of indigenous incarceration and levels of discrimination based on religion and race. This includes attacks on places of worship. It also blasted the nation’s policies on refugees.

Meanwhile, a new survey has found that nearly half of Australians back the right to refuse same-sex weddings. The Lonergan Research survey that involved 971 people found that 49 percent believed service providers who refused same-sex weddings must be protected by law. Thirty-five percent disagreed, while 15 percent were unsure.

The United States Studies Centre’s poll also suggested the same thing. It has found that 43 percent of respondents agreed that business owners must obtain a right to refuse services to same-sex weddings, compared to the 39 percent who disagreed and the 17 percent who did not take a position.