After months of advocating for marriage equality, Chris Baguley said there was “no way” he was going to miss seeing same-sex marriage legalised in Australia.
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The Raymond Terrace resident bundled his and partner Scott Dunn’s children, Ivy Brewer-Dunn, 6, and Miles Brewer-Dunn, 10, into the car early on December 7 and drove to Canberra.
There, from the public gallery of the House of Representatives, Mr Baguley and his children watched as MPs passed the Marriage Amendment Bill.
“It’s pretty damn amazing,” he said. “There was no way I was going to miss watching it.”
Australia became the 26th country to legalise same-sex marriage after the law passed on December 7.
It followed last month’s emphatic resolution of the postal survey, where 62 per cent of the nation responded ‘yes’ to the question “should the law be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry?”
In the Paterson electorate, 65.5 per cent of the area’s 92,974 respondents said ‘yes’.
It was the postal survey that prompted Mr Baguley into advocacy.
Wanting to provide a voice in the discussion surrounding same-sex marriage and the postal survey he founded the Marriage Equality Port Stephens Facebook page, wrote letters to his neighbours and even hosted an equality sausage sizzle.
“I was that vocal as much for myself as others,” Mr Baguley said.
“As hateful and as hurtful as the process was, the silver lining is the vindication by the Australian people. I wouldn’t say it was worth it, but at least something good has come from it.”
Only four MPs voted against the change on December 7. A handful of MPs – including former prime minister Tony Abbott – chose to abstain.
When the vote was declared on the floor of the House, the packed public gallery exploded into cheers and applause, eventually burst into a rendition of I Am, You Are, We Are Australian.
Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove signed off on the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Bill 2017 – the last step to making same-sex marriage legal in Australia – on December 9.
Mr Baguley said it was the end of a long journey.
“I thought I’d be an old man before this happened but I knew we’d get here, one way or another. We’re equal now.”
Baguley’s road to equality
October 2015: Call for marriage equality
September 2017: Same-sex survey sparks equality fight
September 2017: Neighbourhood shows support for equality
October 2017: “We are normal people” | photos, video
November 2017: Paterson electorate votes ‘yes’ in same-sex postal survey
Ellie-Marie Watts
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
