Blog
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Two Gay Marriage Bills Put Before Parliament
Author: Watts McCray Comments: 0
Two private members’ bills to legalise gay marriage were introduced to Federal Parliament earlier this month. The bills follow the ALP National Conference in November 2011, where the results of a conscience vote amended the Labor party’s stance on gay marriage to be one of support. At the conference, Labor MP Stephen Jones had indicated that he would introduce a private member’s bill to legalise gay marriage during 2012. Jones submitted his bill today, but in a historical move for gay rights movement, Greens MP Adam Bandt and Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie also submitted a bill aimed to legalise same-sex [...]
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Mexico considers introducing 2-year marriage license
Author: Watts McCray Comments: 0
In response to increasing divorce rates, leftist politicians in Mexico have proposed a new marriage license that would allow couples to dissolve their marriage after two years, without having to go through the regular divorce process. Essentially a 2-year trial marriage, the proposed new license would give couples the opportunity to temporarily “test” married life. At the end of the 2 years, they would have the option to end the relationship or, if it has been a success, renew the license indefinitely. The premise of the new license is that the real marriage commitment is made after 2 years, when [...]
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Is a declining marriage rate to blame for the neglect of children?
Author: Watts McCray Comments: 0
A recent report by Professor Patrick Parkinson, a law professor at The University of Sydney and Special Counsel at Watts McCray Lawyers, says that plunging Australian marriage rates are having a detrimental effect on the wellbeing of Australian children. Titled “For Kids’ Sake – Repairing the Social Environment for Australian Children and Young People” and commissioned by the Australian Christian Lobby, the report was presented to Federal Parliament last week as part of National Child Protection Week. The research based report attributes increased rates of child abuse and neglect, children being placed in foster care and rising teenage mental health [...]
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Labor postpones same-sex marriage vote, but expresses support
Author: Watts McCray Comments: 1
It was expected to be on the agenda yesterday at Labor’s NSW branch conference, but the vote on whether to introduce same-sex marriage in Australia was postponed until Labor’s national conference in December. The move to refer it to December came as a result of the contrasting views on the issue from within left and right factions of the party. While the left was hoping for a positive outcome from yesterday’s conference, they are believed to have supported the move of general secretary Sam Dastyari’s to delay the vote after it became obvious that it was likely to be defeated. [...]
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Disappointing holidays lead to higher divorce rates, US finds
Author: Watts McCray Comments: 0
A number of holidays involve the celebration of family and loved ones. But when happy holidays are disappointing, it can show in divorce rates. Divorce occurs year round, but with the divorce rate skyrocketing (Australia’s sits at just under 50%), it’s interesting when clear patterns, stimulants or triggers for divorce are noticeable. While these particular findings come from the US, they still provide interesting insight into the societal and emotional prompters for the breakup of a marriage. Shortly before Valentine’s Day 2011, the American website Avvo.com – which offers free ratings and profiles for lawyers – compiled data that reveals [...]
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A snapshot of Australian marriage and divorce
Author: Watts McCray Comments: 0
The media often documents the relationships, marriages and divorces of celebrities and other high profile individuals. Coupled with the focus on the changes to the Family Law Act and the ongoing debate around same-sex marriage, the marriages and divorces that quietly take place in Australia every day can go unnoticed. So what does the typical Australian marriage look like today? In December 2009, the Australian Bureau of Statistics collected data on registered marriages and divorces. Here’s a snapshot of what they came up with, and a quick summary of what Australian marriage looks like today. Marriage – Marriages increasing. There [...]
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Understanding the debate – same-sex couples in Australia
Author: Watts McCray Comments: 1
The legal rights (or lack thereof) of same-sex couples, and whether gay couples should be permitted by law to marry is one of the most hotly debated political and social issues of our time. Last month’s Mardi Gras parade in Sydney brought the issue to the fore once more, with protestors rallying for the legalisation of same-sex marriages. Prompted by the public call for change, Prime Minister Julia Gillard defended her stance that marriage can only be between a man and woman, on the grounds that Australia’s laws are based on Christian principles. When it comes to gay marriage, everyone [...]
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What does marriage mean today?
Author: Watts McCray Comments: 1
Wind the clock back one hundred years, and the concept of marriage was simple. A man met a woman, they formed a relationship and then committed to one another until death did them part, through binding marriage vows. With the rise of popular culture and increasing secularisation, movies, music and fanciful story lines created a romanticised notion of marriage. Perhaps we expected more from the tradition as ideas of love, romance and happiness became more important. The formality of marriage also relaxed – think themed weddings and writing your own vows. As divorce statistics drastically increased towards the end of [...]
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Division over proposed changes to the Family Law Act
Author: Watts McCray Comments: 7
Proposed changes to the Family Law Act have been introduced into Parliament for consideration, that focus on the best interests and safety of the child. The government released the draft changes in November 2010, stating that the changes were designed to provide better protection for families and children at risk of violence. The proposed changes to the Family Law Act include a new definition of family violence with a list of examples of the kind of behaviour that might fall into that definition, along with a revised definition of abuse. At the core of the family violence definition is a [...]