Like many everyday Australians, Shoalhaven mayor Amanda Findley is fed up with inaction and grandstanding from federal politicians on marriage equality.
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It’s an issue that hits close to home for her.
Her uncle has been in a same sex relationship for more than 30 years.
Her uncle fears that if his heath deteriorates, his partner has no power over decisions a married partner would be able to make.
“My uncles know each other’s needs and wishes intimately, but they have no say when it comes to switching off the life support, or keeping it on,” Cr Findley.
“Who am I to go in, and make that call?
“It’s sad that I have more say over that than his partner.”
Cr Findley wants legal recognition for the sake of her friends in the local LGBTI community.
“For me, the postal vote, that’s just a cop out,” she said.
“They carry on about, ‘Oh, we can’t go back on our word to the people.’
“They got a majority vote to form government and represent the people, now 65 to 72 per cent of the Australian population support marriage equality.
“Real leaders are allowed to change their mind, they can just do this and get on with it.
“The young people I talk to on a day-to-day basis shrug their shoulders and think, ‘why can’t they just do this?’”
Cr Findley has concerns the marriage equality debate has overshadowed pressing national issues.
“Not to devalue the issue, but come on, take it off the plate, stop talking about it,” she said.
“People are like, get on with it, because we’d really like you to do something about climate change or energy costs, or refugees, or how do we deal with neighbours to the North East?”
Though it’s a federal issue, she has done what she can to show her support, advocating for Shoalhaven City Council’s in principle support for marriage equality.
