The

Hon. Tony Abbott, MP

Re: The defence of marriage

I am writing to you to express my support for the proposed changes to the definition of
marriage as it currently stands in the Marriage Act 1961.

Marriage is a time-honoured tradition. It is one of the fundamental building blocks of
society and can provide the supportive and nurturing environment that is essential for a
persons development and wellbeing. To uphold the institution of marriage is to ensure
the future welfare of Australians.

The concern with redefining marriage that has recently been expressed by Australias
major religious leaders has prompted me to also share my concerns.

Our understanding of marriage
Marriage is not uniformly defined across the world. Nor has it been throughout the
course of human history. Polygamy has been the most common model practiced in
societies across the globe [1]. Christianity, Judaism and Islam are all founded upon this
model of marriage as evidenced in the Old Testament.

Some of these denominations have changed their practices over time and now reflect
the current model of marriage legislated here in Australia [2]. The notion that marriage
has traditionally been between a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, is
therefore inaccurate.

I ask you Prime Minister, if the definition of marriage has changed in the past, why can it
not be changed now?

Marriage and family life
There are approximately 34,000 same-sex couples in Australia (18,000 male couples
and 16,000 female couples) with 6,300 children being raised in same-sex parented
households [3]. They, and the rest of the LGBT community, have the right to experience
married life and all of the benefits that accompany it.

A United Nations Human Rights Committee has affirmed the right of men and women of
marriageable age to marry and found a family. The committee reaffirmed the concept of

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the family may differ in some respects and emphasized, When a group of persons is
regarded as a family [they] must be given protection [4].

I call upon you Prime Minister to protect marriage and the family unit, but not as it
currently stands under Australian law as the union of a man and a woman to the
exclusion of all others [5]. But rather, as how the majority of the Australian community
has come to see it. That is, the legal union between two loving and consenting adults,
regardless of their gender [6].

The religious leaders of the nation have said marriage is already under significant
strains and pressures, we urge you to do all that you can to support marriage not
undermine its meaning and importance [7]. Same-sex marriage will strengthen the
institution of marriage by restoring the principles of commitment, sacrifice, loyalty and
enduring love. It is time to move forward Prime Minister, and it is time to legislate the
real meaning of marriage.

The ideal family unit
There is a considerable body of literature comparing same-sex parented families to
opposite-sex parented families. Few have been conducted in Australia or New Zealand.
Your own department, the Australian Institute of Family Studies, have concluded that it is
family processes (such as division of labour and levels of conflict) rather than the gender
or sexuality of parents that determines a childs wellbeing [8].

Of the limited studies performed in Australia, it was found that on measures of general
health and family cohesion, children with same-sex attracted parents had significantly
better scores when compared to Australian children from all other backgrounds and
family contexts [9]. Maintaining the current legal definition of marriage at the request of
religious organisations places their ideologies and wishes above the interests of
Australian children.

Consequences of redefining marriage
Redefining marriage under Australian law will send a powerful message to the nation. It
will help to remove the stigma that same-sex relationships and families still experience
in our society today.

Prime Minister, you have the opportunity to tell the nation that we matter, that our
relationships are important and that we are valued. Please carefully consider this
message and the positive influence that same-sex marriage will invariably have on the
nation as a whole.


Yours respectfully,

Mr Hamish Johnston
Perth, WA

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References:

1. Murdock, G.P., (1998). Ethnographic Atlas Codebook. World Cultures 10(1):86-136. Retrieved
from: http://eclectic.ss.uci.edu/~drwhite/worldcul/Codebook4EthnoAtlas.pdf
2. Tony Abbott incorrect on the history of marriage, ABC Fact Check, 1 November 2013 (updated 8
November 2013). Retrieved from: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-01/tony-abbott-
incorrect-history-marriage/5053844
3. ABS (2013). Same-sex couples. Australian Social Trends. Retrieved from:
http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/[email protected]/Lookup/4102.0Main+Features10July+2013
4. United Nations Human Rights Committee General Comment No 19. Retrieved from:
http://www.refworld.org/docid/45139bd74.html
5. Marriage Amendment Act 2004. Retrieved from:
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2004A01361/Html/Text#param0
6. Record support for same-sex marriage. C|T Group, 15 July 2014. Retrieved from:
http://www.crosbytextor.com/news/record-support-for-same-sex-marriage/
7. Australian religious leaders call on PM and Parliament to uphold the true meaning of marriage.
Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese. Retrieved from:
http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2015/201569_1208.shtml
8. The Australian Institute of Family Studies (December 2013). Same-sex parented families in
Australia. CFCA Paper No. 18. Retrieved from: https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/same-sex-
parented-families-australia/childrens-wellbeing-same-sex-parented-families
9. The Jack Brockhoff Child Health and Wellbeing Program (2014). The Australian study of child
health in same-sex families (ACHESS): Interim Report. Retrieved from:
http://mccaugheycentre.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/786806/simon_report_.pd
f

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