Denied Right In His Own Country, Gay Australian Politician Marries In Spain
- 11 years ago
A gay Australian politician married his partner in Spain on Wednesday (December 19), becoming his country's first sitting gay politician to wed.
Labour Member of Parliament for South Australia and cabinet minister Ian Hunter tied the knot with his long-term partner of 20 years Leith Semmens in the town of Jun in Granada, southern Spain, two months after Australia voted down a proposal to legalize same sex marriage.
Fifty-two-year-old Hunter is the social inclusion minister for the state of South Australia.
He said he was pleased to have been able to marry in Spain.
"We love the country and we wanted to come and get married here because you changed your laws and made it possible. In my country, I can't do that yet, but it's a beautiful place to have a wedding and why wouldn't we want to do it here in Granada?"
The Mayor of Jun, Jose Antonio Rodriguez, officiated at the wedding, which was held at the Pabellon de los Artes.
Spain legalized gay marriage in 2005.
-Reuters
Labour Member of Parliament for South Australia and cabinet minister Ian Hunter tied the knot with his long-term partner of 20 years Leith Semmens in the town of Jun in Granada, southern Spain, two months after Australia voted down a proposal to legalize same sex marriage.
Fifty-two-year-old Hunter is the social inclusion minister for the state of South Australia.
He said he was pleased to have been able to marry in Spain.
"We love the country and we wanted to come and get married here because you changed your laws and made it possible. In my country, I can't do that yet, but it's a beautiful place to have a wedding and why wouldn't we want to do it here in Granada?"
The Mayor of Jun, Jose Antonio Rodriguez, officiated at the wedding, which was held at the Pabellon de los Artes.
Spain legalized gay marriage in 2005.
-Reuters