CPPA Director M.V. Lee Badgett just returned from two weeks in Australia, where she spoke with government officials, activists, and public audiences about the potential economic benefits the country could reap by legalizing gay marriage.
Badgett’s trip coincided with a growing debate in the Australian Parliament about same-sex marriage. Last December the ruling Labor Party voted to adopt a position that favors allowing gay marriage across the country. Prime Minister Julia Gillard, however, opposes gay marriage. Currently a few Australian states allow civil unions. In Canberra, Badgett presented her research findings to an audience of community members and members of parliament from both sides of the aisle. She also spoke with smaller groups and in one-on-one consultations with senators and with members of the House of Representatives to answer questions about the American and European experiences with marriage equality.
While the national government debates whether to recognize gay marriage at the federal level, some activists and policymakers in the state of Tasmania want to consider legalizing gay marriage on its own, if only at the state level. In a report released last month by the UCLA Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law and Public Policy, Badgett and MPPA candidate Jennifer Smith show that the Australian economy would likely see a boost to the tune of $161 million over a three-year period if same-sex marriage were legalized nationwide. If Tasmania legalized the act first, an estimated $96 million would flow into that state’s economy, according to the study.
In addition to discussions with Tasmanian policymakers, Badgett also talked with members of parliament in the state of New South Wales as they prepared to debate a bill to support in principle the idea of marriage equality at the federal level. Badgett’s public appearances in the two states and in Canberra, along with the release of the Williams Institute report, garnered significant attention from Australian media outlets. Highlights include an interview with Badgett on Sydney’s Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio station, and an op-ed that she wrote for ABC.