Dear Jardine,

Thank you, but I searched the Crimes Act, NSW and found no such offence. There was no mention of vows anywhere.

If perhaps you refer to bigamy, I believe that it does not include unregistered marriages. As far as the authorities are concerned, nothing except what they themselves conduct (or a foreign country according to its own laws) constitutes marriage. They are wrong of course, but that's the legal situation.

I received the advice that any celebrant or priest, whether registered by the state to conduct marriages or otherwise, commits no offence if they conduct a wedding without registering it or informing the authorities, so long as s/he does not during that ceremony utter the words 'legal' or 'legally', so this is clearly not a "legal marriage". As long as the authorities are concerned, it simply "didn't happen". I believe this to include not only same-sex marriages but also marriages between several people and/or with other animals or objects.

I remain annoyed that this spineless Government are not deciding this issue for themselves, as they were elected to do.

They all should be allowed a conscience vote and decide on this marriage act issue as part of their normal duties, rather than spending so much money on a plebiscite that no one wants.

Let gay couples marry for goodness sake, as it is all becoming too boring now.
Nothing will change if they are allowed to marry, so get over it !

Another critical question that needs an answer in the context of this plebiscite is 'What should school children be taught about homosexuality?' - see
http://cpds.apana.org.au/Teams/Articles/child_abuse.htm#4_2_16

Suseonline:

“Let gay couples marry for goodness sake, as it is all becoming too boring now.
Nothing will change if they are allowed to marry, so get over it !”

So same-sex couples cannot get a government approved marriage. So what! Get over it! Nothing is going to change if they get that certificate. Why don’t they just get on with their lives and stop wasting the politicians’ time and our money? Their constant whinging is getting boring.

What should children be taught about homosexuality? That it is part of the normal spectrum of human sexuality, always has been, always will be. Inclusive sex and relationship ed covering the whole spectrum should be taught in all schools as part of the national curriculum. Given what we know about child development, this should begin at age four or five, in an age appropriate manner of course, as this is when sexual feelings first begin to manifest, children start to become curious about their bodies and those of others. And they need to be taught e.g., what is and in not appropriate behaviour during physical play, what parts of the body are considered private etc.

SOL: on a plebiscite that no one wants.

Who says, "No one wants it." I do & I'm sure the Government wouldn't have put the Question to a Plebiscite if there wasn't a call from the Public to do so.

I wonder why the GLTB is so against the Plebiscite. They are always banging on about how the Majority of Australians back them. Let's put it to the Test.