getyourshittogetheraus:

TASMANIA’S parliament has become the first in the country to support gay marriage, in a move gay rights activists say will push forward the national debate.

State Labor MPs in the lower house this afternoon backed a Greens’ motion calling on the Gillard government to change the federal Marriage Act to allow for same sex couples to marry.

Gay marriage advocates hailed passionate speeches in favour of the change by Labor MPs from blue collar and Christian backgrounds, vowing to send the Hansard to Prime Minister Julia Gillard to try to change her mind on the issue.

Premier Lara Giddings said the vote sent a message to the nation that “the time for marriage equality is here”.

However Ms Giddings opposes change at the state level, saying amendments to the Marriage Act are the federal government’s jurisdiction.

The Liberal opposition opposed the motion and dismissed it as “inconsequential”, while the Australian Christian Lobby predicted its impact on national debate would be minimal.

Labor and the Greens govern in a power-sharing alliance.

“By voting in support of marriage equality Tasmania has written itself into this country’s history books, as a national leader for a more compassionate and progressive society,” said Greens leader Nick McKim, who initiated the motion.

“Labor and the Greens have come together to advance this cause, in another vindication of the outcomes achievable from collaboration in a power-sharing parliament.”

Marriage Equality national convener Alex Greenwich said it was hoped other parliaments would follow Tasmania’s lead, building pressure ahead of the national ALP conference vote on the issue later this year.

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Guys, what I’m getting from this is that the Tasmanian Parliament voted in favour of supporting changes to the Marriage Act, not that they have passed a law allowing same sex marriage, seeing as changes to the Marriage Act are the federal governments jurisdiction. 

This is really important as the ALP national conference draws closer.