Recognition of same-sex unions in Oceania

[[File:Same-sex marriage map Oceania.svg|thumb||300px|Recognition of same-sex relationships in Oceania {{legend-shell|lang=en|title=Laws regarding same-sex sexuality in Oceania|

  Marriage performed
  Civil unions performed (Easter Island)
  Recognition of same-sex marriages at the federal level, no territory-level recognition (American Samoa)
  No recognition
  Constitution limits marriage to opposite-sex couples (Palau)
  Same-sex sexual activity illegal, but ban not enforced

(Country names will appear with mouse-overs when map is viewed at full size. Encircling lines are the EEZ of each state.)


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Debate has occurred throughout Oceania over proposals to legalize same-sex marriage as well as civil unions.

Currently two countries and eight territories in Oceania recognize some type of same-sex unions. Two Oceanian countries, Australia and New Zealand,[nb 1] and seven territories, namely French Polynesia, Guam, Hawaii, New Caledonia, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Pitcairn Islands and Wallis and Futuna allow same-sex couples to legally marry. Additionally, as a territory of Chile, Easter Island performs civil unions.

Current situation

National level

Status Country Legal since Country population
(Last Census count)
Marriage
(2 countries)
Australia 2017[1] 24,754,000
New Zealand 2013[2] 4,840,750
Total 25,749,765
(77.5% of the Oceanian population)
No recognition
(11 countries)
* same-sex sexual activity illegal
Federated States of Micronesia 135,869
Fiji 856,346
Kiribati * 96,335
Marshall Islands 73,630
Nauru 12,329
Papua New Guinea * 5,172,033
Samoa * 179,000
Solomon Islands * 494,786
Tonga * 106,137
Tuvalu * 11,146
Vanuatu 240,000
Subtotal 7,377,611
(22.4% of the Oceanian population)
Constitutional ban on marriage
( 1 country)
Palau 2008[3][4] 19,409
Subtotal 19,409
(0.1% of the Oceanian population)
Total 7,397,020
(22.5% of the Oceanian population)

Sub-national level

Status Country Jurisdiction Legal since
Marriage
(7 jurisdictions)
France
  • New Caledonia
  • French Polynesia
  • Wallis and Futuna
2013[5]
United Kingdom
  • Pitcairn Islands
2015[6]
United States Varies
Other type of partnership
† Country subject to IACHR ruling on same-sex marriage
(1 jurisdiction)
Chile † 2015
Limited federal recognition only
(1 jurisdiction)
United States
No recognition
(3 jurisdictions)
* same-sex sexual activity illegal
New Zealand

Public opinion

  Indicates the country/territory has legalized same-sex marriage nationwide
  Indicates that same-sex marriage is legal in certain parts of the country
  Indicates that the country has civil unions or registered partnerships
  Indicates that same-sex sexual activity is illegal
Opinion polls for same-sex marriage by country
Country Pollster Year For Against Neutral[lower-alpha 1] Margin
of error
Source
Australia Essential 2018 65% 26% 9% - [13]
New Zealand Herald DigiPoll 2013 52% 48% - - [14]
Opinion polls for same-sex marriage by dependent territory and sub-national entities
Country Pollster Year For Against Neutral[lower-alpha 1] Margin
of error
Source
Guam University of Guam 2015 55% 29% 16% - [15]

Notes

  1. Also comprises: Don't know; No answer; Other; Refused.

See also

Notes

  1. Excluding Tokelau, Niue and the Cook Islands.

References

  1. Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Act 2017
  2. Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act 2013
  3. Constitutional proposal 2-274: Marriages between men and women only Archived 15 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  4. The Rights and Liberties of the Palau Constitution by Kevin Bennardo
  5. (in French) LOI n° 2013-404 du 17 mai 2013 ouvrant le mariage aux couples de personnes de même sexe
  6. Same Sex Marriage and Civil Partnership Ordinance 2015
  7. Chief Judge Frances M. Tydingco-Gatewood, District Court of Guam, Order and Opinion Re: Motion for Summary Judgement, Aguero v. Calvo Case 1:15-cv-00009, 8 June 2015
  8. Hawaii Marriage Equality Act of 2013
  9. De La Torre, Ferdie (30 June 2015). "AG says they will be working with Inos admin in drafting regs". Saipan Tribune. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  10. Gonzales-Pagan, Omar. "No Same-Sex Couple Left Behind: SCOTUS Ruling for the Freedom to Marry Would Apply with Equal Force to U.S. Territories". Lambda Legal. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  11. "American Samoa is lone US territory questioning gay marriage validity; no licenses sought". U.S. News and World Report. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  12. "Same-sex marriage: American Samoa may be the only territory in the US where the historic Supreme Court ruling does not apply". The Independent. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  13. "The Essential Report: 13 March 2018" (PDF). Essential Research. 13 March 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  14. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10873630
  15. UOG Poll: 55% Support Gay Marriage, Pacific News Center, April 22, 2015
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