The Inquiry was called for largely to investigate the impact of heavy cuts to the ALRC budget over the last few years, and whether these cuts are "putting serious law reform at risk in this country" (Senator Barnett, Chair of the Senate Committee, 23 Nov 10).
An amendment to The Marriage Act 1961 (Cth) in 2004 defines marriage as 'the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life'. However, since that time, numerous bills have been introduced into Parliament to attempt amend this definition. In August 2015, the focus has moved from a parliamentary vote on the issue to a debate about the potential of a popular vote. This inquiry was called to investigate these mechanisms further. It outlines the merits and drawbacks of a referendum, a plebiscite and a parliamentary vote, and sets out the Committee's findings and views. The Committee makes only one recommendation: that a bill to amend the definition of marriage in the Marriage Act 1961 to allow for the marriage between two people regardless of their sex is introduced into the Parliament as a matter of urgency.
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