High Court Strikes Down ACT’s Same-Sex Marriage Laws

In finding the two laws incompatible, not only has the High Court brought about a swift end to the glimmer of progress embodied by the twenty-seven consenting, adult, human couples – or natural persons – in same-sex relationships who wed in Canberra over the weekend, but also crashed their website in the process. 

It’s heartbreaking news for those couples who affirmed their vows in the five day window allowed between the initial hearing and today’s verdict, with those marriages expected to be annulled after the High Court ruling that the ACT’s laws were inconsistent with the Federal Marriage Act, and are therefore unconstitutional:

“The Marriage Act does not now provide for the formation or recognition of marriage between same
sex couples. The Marriage Act provides that a marriage can be solemnised in Australia only
between a man and a woman and that a union solemnised in a foreign country between a same sex
couple must not be recognised as a marriage in Australia. That Act is a comprehensive and
exhaustive statement of the law of marriage.” You can read the full ruling here.

Australian Marriage Equality National Director Rodney Croome has issued the following statement, saying:

“This is devastating for those couples who married this week and for their families. However, this is just a temporary defeat. What is far more important is that the ACT’s law facilitated the first same-sex marriage on Australian soil and showed the nation the love and commitment of same-sex couples. The marriages in the ACT prove that this reform is not about politics, but about love, commitment, and fairness”

Here’s Tony Abbott’s sister Christine Forster reacting to the Fuck This Shit News:

Sad news that the ACT same-sex marriage law has been overturned. Focus now firmly on federal parliament #marriageequality #auspol

— Christine Forster (@resourcefultype) December 12, 2013