September 22, 2017

A statement on Human Rights and Marriage Equality

At Spectrum, we believe in the right of people to feel at home in Australia.

All our work is founded on a fundamental belief in human rights and justice.

The marriage equality plebiscite currently being conducted in Australia is an opportunity to recognise and affirm the human rights of all couples to have their relationships recognised by the state and to enjoy all the privileges and obligations that brings with it.

This is a question of human rights, justice and equality. It is not a question of freedom of speech or freedom of religion.  Recognition of same sex marriage is purely a change in the way marriage is defined in a legal sense.

The plebiscite process and the time it will take to run its course has and will continue to provide considerable opportunity for vitriolic, hurtful, misleading and alarmist debate.  We must all rise above that and call it out whenever we see and/ or hear it.

The team here at Spectrum work with people from asylum seeker, refugee and migrant backgrounds to enable them to fully feel at home in Australia – they are people like just like us, with aspirations for their lives and those of their loved ones.    We believe in, and assert their human right to be equal and full participants in this great Australian family.

In the same way, we believe in and assert the human rights of those striving to achieve marriage equality.

by Stelvio Vido, Chief Executive Officer




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