PAIGE FINDLOW
The same sex marriage plebiscite to be held from September 12 has split the Brisbane queer community.
The plebiscite is costing the tax payers $122 million and the decision to hold the postal plebiscite has provoked a range of responses from Brisbane’s queer community.
Danika Judd, a member of the Brisbane Queer community, does not believe the amount of time and money is being well spent.
“The government have spent so much time, effort and money on this and I just think these could be spent on more pressing issues,” Ms Judd said.
“As a gay woman I personally feel that the most important thing is to be with someone I love, I’m not against getting married it is just not something I have to do.”
Danika’s opinion is not uncommon, with a national survey conducted by La Trobe University finding that only 5-10% of gay men and women want to formalise their relationship with marriage.
There are however a number of same sex couples who want to marry and hope this postal plebiscite will finally allow them to.
Amber Lane is a Brisbane citizen who was forced to travel to New Zealand in order to marry her partner, and hopes that the plebiscite will make things less difficult for others.
“It upsets me so much that a country I love and call home does not recognise the commitment my partner and I have made to each other,” Mrs Lane said.
“This postal vote is hope that others won’t have to go through what I did, having to travel overseas and will get to marry the person they love in this amazing country.”
Citizens currently not on the electoral roll will have until August 24 to register for the postal vote.