Australian Equality Party (Marriage)

{{Infobox political party

| name = Australian Equality Party

| logo = Australian Equality Party logo.png

| colorcode = #9B3194

| leader = Jason Tuazon-McCheyne

| convenor = Jason Tuazon-McCheyne

| foundation = 9 October 2014

| dissolved = 26 March 2018

| headquarters = Melbourne, Victoria

| ideology = LGBT rights

| website = {{url|http://www.equality.org.au/}}

| country = Australia

}}

The Australian Equality Party (Marriage) (also AEP; formerly Australian Equality Party until January 2016) was an Australian political party founded by Jason Tuazon-McCheyne. The AEP had a platform that promoted equality and human rights, particularly in relation to the LGBTQ community.{{cite web |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north/brunswick-west-dads-launch-australian-equality-party-in-fight-against-homophobia/story-fnglenug-1226840608078?nk=90fe6cf08d804cf93ccca05b67369369 |title=Brunswick West dads launch Australian Equality Party in fight against homophobia |author=Emma Hastings |newspaper=Moreland Leader |date=3 March 2014 }}[http://www.3wnews.org/article/news/new-political-party-calls-members_341 "New Political Party Calls for Members"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090411/http://www.3wnews.org/article/news/new-political-party-calls-members_341 |date=4 March 2016 }}. 3wnews.org.{{cite web|title=Jason Tuazon-McCheyne Launches Equality Party|url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/jason-tuazonmccheyne-launches-australian-equality-party-20140202-31v5c.html|website=The Age|date=2 February 2014|publisher=Fairfax Media|access-date=8 February 2015|archive-date=14 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240314065051/https://www.theage.com.au/national/jason-tuazonmccheyne-launches-australian-equality-party-20140202-31v5c.html|url-status=live}} The party's goal was to get AEP Leader, Jason Tuazon-McCheyne, elected to the Senate at the 2016 Australian federal election.{{cite web |url=http://www.equality.org.au/ |title=Australian Equality Party |access-date=23 March 2016 |archive-date=24 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224155748/https://equality.org.au/ |url-status=live }}

History

The Australian Equality Party was launched on 2 February 2014 by Jason Tuazon-McCheyne and his team at Melbourne's LGBTIQ Pride March in St Kilda.[http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/local-news/victoria-news/pride-march-a-scorching-success/117554 "Melbourne’s Pride March a scorching success"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150324070222/http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/local-news/victoria-news/pride-march-a-scorching-success/117554 |date=24 March 2015 }}. starobserver.com.au.{{cite web |last=Magnusson |first=Michael |title=Australian Equality Party launches with Pride |url=http://gaynewsnetwork.com.au/news/victoria/australian-equality-party-launches-with-pride-2-12834.html |publisher=Gay News Network |access-date=31 January 2014 |archive-date=2 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702070224/http://gaynewsnetwork.com.au/news/victoria/australian-equality-party-launches-with-pride-2-12834.html |url-status=live }} At that time the AEP released its first suite of policies relating to LGBTIQ people at the parade,{{cite web |last1=Findlay |first1=James |title=AEP Launches Policy |url=http://gaynewsnetwork.com.au/news/australian-equality-party-launches-policy-platform-at-pride-march-16336.html |website=Gay News Network }}{{cite news |url=http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/local-news/victoria-news/premier-leads-20th-anniversary-pride-march-as-community-out-in-force/131994 |title=Premier Leads 20th Anniversary Pride March as Community out in Force"] |newspaper=Star Observer |author=Benjamin Riley |date=2 February 2015 |access-date=23 March 2016}} including marriage equality, health and wellbeing issues for LGBTIQ people and reform for laws regarding LGBTIQ people's rights to adoption.

The AEP was registered with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) on 9 October 2014.{{cite web |title=Australian Equality Party (Marriage) |url=http://aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/party_registration/Registered_parties/aust-equality.htm |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |date=27 January 2016 |access-date=23 March 2016 |archive-date=24 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324160405/http://www.aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/party_registration/Registered_parties/aust-equality.htm |url-status=live }} The Convenor of the AEP was Jason Tuazon-McCheyne.[http://www.smh.com.au/national/jason-tuazonmccheyne-launches-australian-equality-party-20140202-31v5c.html "Jason Tuazon-McCheyne launches Australian Equality Party"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708023733/http://www.smh.com.au/national/jason-tuazonmccheyne-launches-australian-equality-party-20140202-31v5c.html |date=8 July 2015 }}. The Sydney Morning Herald. February 3, 2014 Chris Hingston On 27 January 2016, the AEC approved a name change to append the word "Marriage" to the party's official name.{{Cite web |title=Australian Equality Party (AEC) |url=https://www.aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/Party_Registration/Registered_parties/aust-equality.htm |access-date=2024-11-14 |website=Australian Electoral Commission |language=en-AU}}

In 2014 the AEP was only active in Victoria, focusing on gathering support for its campaign to elect its leader Jason Tuazon-McCheyne as a Senator for the state of Victoria at the 2016 federal election.{{cite web |last1=Tomlins |first1=Jacqui| title=Introducing the Australian Equality Party |url=http://jacquitomlins.com/2014/02/03/introducing-the-australian-equality-party/ |website=Jacqui Tomlins Blog |date=3 February 2014 |access-date=23 March 2016}}{{cite web|last=Akersten|first=Matt|title=New political party focuses on LGBTI equality|url=http://www.samesame.com.au/news/10513/New-political-party-focuses-on-LGBTI-equality|publisher=Same Same|access-date=31 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209205646/http://www.samesame.com.au/news/10513/New-political-party-focuses-on-LGBTI-equality|archive-date=9 February 2014|url-status=dead}}

In the 2016 federal election AEP fielded two senate candidates in each of Queensland, South Australia and Victoria, and three candidates in Victoria for the House of Representatives.{{cite web |url=http://www.aec.gov.au/election/candidates.htm |title=Candidates for the 2016 federal election |date=12 June 2016 |access-date=12 June 2016 |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |archive-date=13 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160613080512/http://www.aec.gov.au/election/candidates.htm |url-status=live }} None of these candidates were elected. The party received 0.87%, 0.38% and 0.49% of first preference votes in the three states it contested for Senate seats{{cite web|url=http://vtr.aec.gov.au/SenateResultsMenu-20499.htm |title=Senate Results |work=AEC Tally Room |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |date=9 August 2016 |access-date=31 August 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160803074259/http://vtr.aec.gov.au/SenateResultsMenu-20499.htm |archive-date=3 August 2016 }} and 1.59% of first preference votes in its highest-polling House seat, Melbourne Ports.{{cite web |url=http://vtr.aec.gov.au/HouseDivisionPage-20499-230.htm |title=Melbourne Ports, VIC |date=28 July 2016 |work=AEC Tally Room |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |access-date=31 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160905204829/http://vtr.aec.gov.au/HouseDivisionPage-20499-230.htm |archive-date=5 September 2016 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}

The party was deregistered voluntarily on 26 March 2018.{{cite web |date=26 March 2018 |title=Australian Equality Party (Marriage) Voluntary Deregistration |url=http://www.aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/Party_Registration/Deregistered_parties/files/2018-6333.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240329092436/https://www.aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/Party_Registration/Deregistered_parties/files/2018-6333.pdf |archive-date=29 March 2024 |access-date=27 March 2018 |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |quote=Notice under s 135(1) of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 The Australian Equality Party (Marriage) was registered on 9 October 2014 and deregistered on 26 March 2018. Reason: s 135(1) – voluntary deregistration.}}

Leadership

The leader of the AEP was Jason Tuazon-McCheyne, a civil celebrant in Victoria.{{cite web|title=Jason Tuazon-McCheyne Launches AEP|url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/jason-tuazonmccheyne-launches-australian-equality-party-20140202-31v5c.html|website=The Age|date=2 February 2014|publisher=Fairfax Media|access-date=8 February 2015|archive-date=14 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240314065051/https://www.theage.com.au/national/jason-tuazonmccheyne-launches-australian-equality-party-20140202-31v5c.html|url-status=live}} Tuazon-McCheyne is married to his husband Adrian, they have a son and live in Melbourne's north west.

Deputy Leader Jacqueline Tomlins[http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inner-east/boroondara-residents-help-launch-the-equality-party-to-stand-up-for-gay-rights/story-fngnvlpt-1226829566426 "Boroondara residents help launch the Equality Party to stand up for gay rights"]. Greg Gliddon, Progress Leader, February 19, 2014 is a writer, campaigner and activist and has been involved in a variety of LGBTIQ related campaigns, particularly around marriage equality and a legal challenge in the High Court of Australia to a ban on recognition of overseas same-sex marriages in Australia.{{cite web|title=Australian Equality Party Pushes for Federal Seat|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/central/australian-equality-party-pushes-for-federal-senate-seat/story-fngnvlpt-1227202165868?nk=b2c2a2e54d2897297dd40ac06140be79|website=www.heraldsun.com.au|publisher=Herald Weekly Times|access-date=8 February 2015}}