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A Brisbane same-sex couple has been refused permission to lodge their Intent to Marry application with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages after staff initially accepted and later rejected another couple’s form on Valentine’s Day.
Una Harkin, 43, and Katherine Eastaughffe, 39, attempted unsuccessfully to lodge their Intent to Marry form at the Registry on Friday, March 22, after reading on the Queensland Pride website last week that the Registry would file applications from same-sex couples.
At 2.30pm on Valentine’s Day, Sharon Dane, 50, and Elaine Crump, 49, approached the red heart-adorned glass wall that separates couples from Registry counter staff.
“We were apprehensive because you don’t know what the reaction is going to be, and we intended to stay there until police arrived to remove us,” Dane told Queensland Pride.
Initially, counter staff refused to accept the form, telling the couple of six years that the Marriage Act only permits marriages between a man and a woman. But when the couple refused to leave, they were ushered into a private room, where they met with development officer Colin Wood.
“After some back and forth, he agreed there was no reason he couldn’t at least accept the form and for it to go on file,” said Dane.
“He notified us that other same-sex couples who wish to do so could now come in, and their application would be waiting for up to 18 months for any pending changes in the law.”
However, the couple’s “elation” at the decision soon soured on March 22 when their form was returned to them by Registrar-General David Mackie.
“I apologise for the effort that was made by our Registry Officer in agreeing to hold this notice in case the relevant legislation is amended within the next 18 months,” he wrote.
“I am advised that this was done in the interest of trying to provide you with some level of client service.”
According to Dane, the Registrar also phoned the couple to say he would be happy for the couple to marry if the Marriage Act was changed.
“It’s the staff who will find it difficult to administer these discriminatory laws,” Dane said. “Staff are doing their best on whatever level they can,” she added.
Similarly, Katherine Eastaughffe said staff and other Registry clients seemed supportive of her cause.
“We asked counter staff why the decision to accept forms had been overturned and he said he thought it was on the basis of advice from Canberra,” she said.
“He said there had been a lot of emails and memos flying around since Valentine’s Day.”
Eastuaghffe said that while she knew she could not marry her same-sex partner in Australia she had been happy to learn the couple could at least record their intention to marry.
“Now, even that small step has been taken away.”
Her partner Una Harkin, who came to Australia 18 months ago, said the rejection had made her feel “like a second-class citizen”.
“Kevin Rudd keeps talking about a fair go for all Australia but what he really means is a fair go for heterosexual Australians.”
For more photos and further developments, visit www.queenslandpride.com.au.
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