Australian Equality Party (Marriage)

Australian Equality Party (Marriage)
Leader Jason Tuazon-McCheyne
Convenor Jason Tuazon-McCheyne
Headquarters Melbourne, Victoria
Ideology GLBTIQ
Website
www.equality.org.au

The Australian Equality Party (Marriage) (also AEP; formerly Australian Equality Party) is an Australian political party founded by Jason Tuazon-McCheyne. The AEP has a platform that promotes equality and human rights, particularly in relation to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (GLBTIQ) community.[1][2][3] The party's goal is to get AEP Leader, Jason Tuazon-McCheyne, elected to the Senate at the 2016 Federal Election.[4]

History

The Australian Equality Party was launched on 2 February 2014 by Jason Tuazon-McCheyne and his team at Melbourne's LGBTIQ Pride March in St Kilda.[5][6] At that time the AEP released its first suite of policies relating to LGBTIQ people at the parade,[7][8] including marriage equality, health and wellbeing issues for LGBTIQ people and reform for laws regarding LGBTIQ people's rights to adoption.

The AEP was registered with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) on 9 October 2014.[9] The Convenor of the AEP is Jason Tuazon-McCheyne.[10] On 27 January 2016, the AEC approved a name change to append the word "Marriage" to the party's official name.[11]

In 2014 the AEP was only active in Victoria, focusing on gathering support for its campaign to elect its leader Jason Tuazon-McCheyne as a Senator for the state of Victoria at the 2016 federal election.[12][13]

In the 2016 federal election AEP fielded two senate candidates in each of Queensland, South Australia and Victoria, and three candidates in Victoria for the House of Representatives.[14] None of these candidates were elected. The party received 0.87%, 0.38% and 0.49% of first preference votes in the three states it contested for Senate seats[15] and 1.59% of first preference votes in its highest-polling House seat, Melbourne Ports.[16]

Leadership

The leader of the AEP is Jason Tuazon-McCheyne, who works as a civil celebrant in the state of Victoria.[10][17] Tuazon-McCheyne is married to his husband Adrian. They have a son and live in Melbourne's north west.

Deputy Leader Jacqueline Tomlins[18] is a writer, campaigner and activist and has been involved in a variety of LGBTIQ related campaigns, particularly around marriage equality and a legal challenge in the High Court of Australia to a ban on recognition of overseas same-sex marriages in Australia.[19]

References

  1. ↑ Emma Hastings (3 March 2014). "Brunswick West dads launch Australian Equality Party in fight against homophobia". Moreland Leader.
  2. ↑ "New Political Party Calls for Members". 3wnews.org.
  3. ↑ "Jason Tuazon-McCheyne Launches Equality Party". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  4. ↑ "Australian Equality Party". Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  5. ↑ "Melbourne’s Pride March a scorching success". starobserver.com.au.
  6. ↑ Magnusson, Michael. "Australian Equality Party launches with Pride". Gay News Network. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  7. ↑ Findlay, James. "AEP Launches Policy". Gay News Network. Gay News Network.
  8. ↑ Benjamin Riley (2 February 2015). "Premier Leads 20th Anniversary Pride March as Community out in Force"]". Star Observer. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  9. ↑ "Australian Equality Party (Marriage)". Australian Electoral Commission. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  10. 1 2 "Jason Tuazon-McCheyne launches Australian Equality Party". The Sydney Morning Herald. February 3, 2014 Chris Hingston
  11. ↑ Australian Equality Party (Marriage), AEC, 27 January 2016.
  12. ↑ Tomlins, Jacqui (3 February 2014). "Introducing the Australian Equality Party". Jacqui Tomlins Blog. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  13. ↑ Akersten, Matt. "New political party focuses on LGBTI equality". Same Same. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  14. ↑ "Candidates for the 2016 federal election". Australian Electoral Commission. 12 June 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  15. ↑ "Senate Results". AEC Tally Room. Australian Electoral Commission. 9 August 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  16. ↑ "Melbourne Ports, VIC". AEC Tally Room. Australian Electoral Commission. 28 July 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  17. ↑ "Jason Tuazon-McCheyne Launches AEP". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  18. ↑ "Boroondara residents help launch the Equality Party to stand up for gay rights". Greg Gliddon, Progress Leader, February 19, 2014
  19. ↑ "Australian Equality Party Pushes for Federal Seat". www.heraldsun.com.au. Herald Weekly Times. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
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