Despite the constant ramblings that appear on these pages, the ACT is one of the most socially progressive and advanced jurisidictions in Australia. This reform is inevitable and necessary. I am happy the ACT government is taking a proactive approach on this issue. Discrimination based on sexual preference is no different to other forms of discrimination and must be rectified despite what the social conservatives will say.

Yet another ploy of the Mayor NOHOPE and his band of Merry men to foist the minority view on us all. Doing a deal with the Greens are we Jon??? Get them to raise the Bill so u can't be blamed if it gets shot down again by the Feds.... Stop wasting our time and money and start dealing with the 'real' issues affecting this Territory.

Same sex relationships are a fact of life and those people involved should not be vilified for it. However it is not acceptable for any minority group to attempt to water down the fundamental basis of human relationships. Marriage is between a man and a woman and should not be looked upon as "just another form of marriage".

Here we go again......don't our pollies have anything important to do? Why do they (ACT pollies) spend so much time trying to satisfy minority groups like the gays and and push bike riders? Perhaps it's a conflict of interest!

Doesn't our benevolent leader have anything better to do? Try to build a road or a dam on budget, then come talk to us. Get on with running our town mayor and stop with your grandiose plans for your own social utopia.

As a gay couples deserve same-sex civil union commitment ceremonies, just as strait couples do. Gay couples can "register" their relationships if they want to. I would never do that, as "registration" is something you do for cats, dogs and firearms.

We seem to confuse elements of this debate. Marriage is a religious issue. Many of us who aren't religious just have defacto relationships. What is important is the state recognition of property rights, superannuation and so on. The anti-marriage sector comes from a religious affront. What we need for our partners, male or female, is the recognition by the state of the relationship where it matters. It needs not be registered if everyone we know knows who our partner is. But we need the state to know if it messes with how we pass on property and so on.

Southeast your point is just that. Marriage is NOT a religious issue. If it was you would only be able to get married if it was approved by a religious leader of some kind. And marriage was around before most established religions. A simple search through textbooks will find that. As it is even atheists can get married. Marriage is a legal process that binds the financial and wellbeing of two individuals. I k now most people discredit this but Australia is a country that has the separation of church and state in its constitution. You cannot, based on this, disallow two consenting adult the right to marry based on religious reasons in this country. Though that is what is happening. If people in this argument discard the empirical evidence of religious beliefs from this argument they will see that denying same-sex marriages are the same as different-sex marriages. The argument that marriage is there to ensure the production of the next generation is false as well, as evidenced by childless marriages and single parents, as well as those in defacto relationships having children. And personally, the thought that someone would marry someone else just to produce kids is offensive to

No wonder the ACT is a joke. Why does the ACT even still exist? It is a total waste of time, a place filled with left bent (and other bent) activists who can't make it anywhere else. Your leader is a rampant nancy, so why not make everyone down there one as well.

Feel sorry for the genuine gay people being fobbed around by people/religion who obviously have no idea what true love is! I'm marrying my female life partner in October and i am marrying her as i am trans gender (but not gay) and in a cemetery as i don't belong to a religion and its the most respectful place and only true hallowed ground,where no matter what faith you are you will end up there someday and because she accepts me for who i am in N.S.W. As we don't want to be embarrassed in having being married in the ACT on our marriage certificate.I'm just glad my family are coming.My future wife's wont be, as they ditched her at 18yrs old because she has a.d.d and bipolar.That to me is disgusting. Acceptance not ignorance is the key here people and we are all human beings and we are all looking for a little happiness in life on this hell! So whats wrong with that as long as it doesn't upset the destiny of others.Change the law and get over it!!!!