Shortly after a same-sex marriage bill
was introduced in the Australian House of Representatives, Liberal MP
Tim Wilson proposed marriage to his partner.
“In my first speech I defined our
bond by the ring that sits on both of our left hands, and they are
the answer to a question we cannot ask,” an emotional Wilson said
from the podium. “There's only one thing left to do: Ryan Patrick
Bolger, will you marry me?”
Bolger, who was sitting in the public
gallery, answered “yes,” and his response was recorded in the
official parliamentary record.
“We should let Hansard note to record
that was a yes, a resounding yes,” deputy speaker Rob Mitchell
motioned.
Liberal MP Warren Entsch, a strong
supporter of such unions, introduced the bill on Monday, just days
after it cleared the Senate without any amendments.
The Senate vote came two weeks after
the government announced results of a postal vote on whether it
should extend marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples. An
overwhelming majority (61.6%) of Australians who participated voted
“yes.”
While the House is expected to approve
the bill, opponents are likely to introduce amendments aimed at
undermining the rights of married gay couples.
If any amendments are approved in the
House, then the legislation will need to return to the Senate for
another vote.