The Australian Minister for Social Affairs, Ian Hunter, has announced he will marry his long-time Spanish boyfriend, Leith Semmens, in a wedding ceremony in a Granada village in January, 2013.The couple decided to marry in Spain after the Constitutional Court ruled favorably on the issue of homosexual marriage last week.
Hunter and Semmens, who have been a couple for more than 20 years, have chosen a south eastern Granada village, Jun, for the wedding ceremony and are currently finalizing details with the Jun Town Hall.
One of them will have to register as a resident before the marriage can take place.
Of course, Spain is the obvious choice for the wedding ceremony anyway as Australia still refuses to recognize or legalize gay marriages. The marriage itself will, sadly, not be recognized under Australian law. Not until same sex marriage becomes legal in Australia.
Sounds to us like it would also be better if Ian Hunter and Leith Semmens moved permanently to Spain. After all, it’s a far more progressive country than Australia when it comes to gay rights, and for many other issues as well.