Caroline Counsel has been quoted by Lawyers Weekly in relation to the same sex marriage “Yes” result and the proposed Bills to be introduced before the Parliament on 16 November 2017.
The article reads as follows:
Caroline Counsel, a family law specialist based in Melbourne, told Lawyers Weekly the Paterson bill would have been a backward step for Australia.
“The Paterson bill was frankly retrograde and ran contrary to all advances made in eliminating discrimination from the face of legislation in our country,” Ms Counsel said.
“It allowed people to discriminate against those who, in accordance with the anticipated same-sex law, wished to marry. It would have allowed civil celebrants, florists, venue hire, bakers, hoteliers and anyone else who provides goods and services to say ‘no’ to same-sex couples.
“By contrast, the Smith bill proposes appropriate changes, consistent with the ‘yes’ vote, to the Marriage Act.
“This bill, however, still allows those of a religious persuasion to refuse to officiate at gay weddings. This is far more consistent with a ‘yes’ vote of 61.6 per cent of Australian[s] who participated in the postal survey.”
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