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NSW politicians have a chance today to leave a lasting legacy on their community. A same-sex marriage bill is due to be tabled in parliament, giving NSW the chance to become the second Australian parliament to vote this issue into law.
On the simple issue of equality, the legislation should pass without incident. Of course, we know it won’t be that easy, though.
Legislation passed in the ACT earlier this month has already been subjected to a High Court challenge, but NSW MPs should not use that as an excuse to prevaricate when the bill is tabled today.
The ACT has always been something of a problem child for national legislators and MPs there passed same-sex marriage laws well aware they would be challenged.
But support for same-sex marriage from NSW MPs would pose a far different scenario.
NSW is the largest state in the nation and the parliament features an overwhelming majority of conservative Nationals and Liberal MPs.
It is not a collective of the type of public service radicals that dominate the ACT parliament and NSW is on the same political side of the fence as the federal government.
It should be every politician’s intention to make a difference during their time in parliament and to make the world around them a better place.
NSW politicians have a rare chance today to do just that by simply supporting legislation that adversely affects no one.
If NSW passes the same-sex marriage legislation, then the lives of the bill’s opponents will go on as normal while the lives of many of its supporters will be enriched beyond words.
This should not be a difficult decision. Support same-sex marriage now.