The AGPAL Group of Companies strongly supports marriage equality, diversity and inclusion across Australia

In September 2016, the AGPAL Group of Companies joined the movement to legalise marriage equality by submitting an official of letter of support via AustralianMarriageEquality.org. There are now 1,719 Australian organisations like ours supporting this national campaign.

The Treasurer, under the Census and Statistics Act 1905, directed the Australian Statistician to collect and publish statistical information from all eligible Australians on the Commonwealth Electoral Roll, about their views on whether the law should be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry. Now more than ever it is important to make your voice heard and VOTE YES in support of marriage equality, recognising diversity and ensuring inclusivity across our Australian communities.

From 12 September 2017, the Australian Bureau of Statistics will begin to send out marriage equality postal surveys, and all survey responses must be received by 6pm, 7 November 2017. Voting YES in this survey is a crucial step to achieving marriage equality in Australia.

The AGPAL Group of Companies letter of support for marriage equality, September 2016

“We, the AGPAL Group of Companies, write to express our strong support for marriage equality.

With company values which embrace and celebrate diversity, partnership and integrity, our staff and Board Directors believe in inclusivity, fair opportunities and entitlements for every one of our Australian community members, no matter their differences.

We recognise the right of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) employees, surveyors, clients, stakeholders, family members and friends to live and work free of prejudice and discrimination. This includes the right to marry the partner of their choice.

Australians are increasingly supportive of marriage equality, with a recent Crosby Textor survey showing seventy‐two percent, believe same sex couples should be allowed to marry. We believe this overwhelming level of support should be reflected with legal change.

Globally, over twenty countries have passed laws to allow same sex marriage, including countries that are culturally similar to ours like New Zealand, the United States of America, Canada, and Great Britain. These countries did so with lower support for marriage equality than Australia is seeing right now. On May 22 2015, the Republic of Ireland held a referendum to sanction same sex marriage. A Yes vote was supported by the Government, all major political parties and the voters themselves. On June 26 2015, the U.S. Supreme court returned a judgement in favour of legalising same sex marriage across all 50 states. These two events see Australia isolated among countries with English as a first language.

By delivering the Rainbow Tick Accreditation Program we actively encourage organisations to address inequities faced by many LGBTI people by assisting health, community and human services to understand and respond to the needs of their LGBTI consumers. Granting marriage equality in Australia will further support our LGBTI community members to live with the same freedoms as everybody else, while being granted the respect and fairness they deserve.

We strongly support marriage equality.”

For more information about becoming accredited against the Rainbow Tick Standards, please visit: www.qip.com.au/standards/rainbow-tick-standards/