WODONGA Council is following the lead of its neighbours across the Border and will tonight consider officially pledging support to the marriage equality movement.
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The motion is being brought forward by Cr Lisa Mahood and would see the council write to local, state and federal MPs as formal notice of the city’s support.
While the councillors are keeping mum at the moment — tonight’s meeting should prove to be an interesting one — Benambra MP Bill Tilley has questioned whether or not local councils have any place in debating the issue.
Obviously the motion, if endorsed, has no legal standing; but its power as a symbolic act should not at all be underestimated.
This is a chance for Wodonga to express where it stands on the issue, and let the country’s lawmakers know whether or not same-sex marriage is welcome in this part of the world.
It will be interesting to see how Wod-onga Council tackles it; it proved to be contentious when Albury debated the same last November. Its motion just barely passed in a 5-4 vote, but ultimately has proved a popular decision as far as the majority of the community has been concerned.
