Australia's highest court has repealed a law permitting gay marriage, leaving some newlyweds with heartbreaking consequences.
Australia’s highest court has repealed a law permitting gay marriage, meaning some newlyweds now face having their weddings annulled.
The unbelievable ruling will cause around 30 same-sex marriages to be virtually void after days of marriage, following the Australian Capital Territory’s passing of the legislation last Saturday.
But in a shocking turn of events, the federal government argued that the law couldn’t operate alongside the federal Marriage Act, Sky News reports. The Federal Marriage Act in question was amended in 2004 to define marriage as being between a man and a woman.
A statement issued by the High Court said: ‘The Marriage Act does not now provide for the formation or recognition of marriage between same-sex couples.
‘The Marriage Act provides that a marriage can be solemnised in Australia only between a man and a woman. That Act is a comprehensive and exhaustive statement of the law of marriage.’
Ivan Hinton and Chris Teoh are among the same-sex couples to have tied the knot since Saturday.
Having immediately applied to change their surnamed to Hinton-Teoh, Ivan told Sky News he’d consider Chris his husband anyway: ‘This was an unprecedented and historic opportunity. I wouldn't have missed it for the world.’
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