Courts in two southern hemisphere nations made rulings in mid-December which preserve marriage as being between one man and one woman.
Australia’s High Court overturned legislation which allowed same-sex ‘marriages’ to take place in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The regional ACT parliament passed legislation in October which made it legal for same-sex couples to marry in the territory. But the national government challenged the legislation because it contravened federal law. The Marriage Act 2004 states that marriage can only be recognised between a man and a woman. The High Court overturned the ACT legislation, saying the issue is a matter for parliament to decide.
In India, the Supreme Court has upheld a law which bans homosexual acts. This ruling reverses a 2009 ruling by the Delhi High Court which decriminalised homosexual acts. The Indian Government is already coming under pressure from the UN to review the ruling and make homosexual acts legal.
