Australia’s High Court has overturned a law allowing same-sex marriages.<br /><br />The original legislation had been passed on 7 December in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), a small, self-governing territory which includes the country’s capital city, Canberra. <br /><br />However Australia’s conservative government challenged it saying it conflicted with federal law. On Thursday the country’s High Court agreed.<br /><br />For the more than 20 couples who had tied the knot, finding out their marriage was annulled was heartbreaking:<br /><br />Newlywed Glenda Lloyd said: “we are very disappointed. We are quite devastated. Obviously we knew that this was a possibility but it was still quite sad to sit in the court and hear that judgement.”<br /><br />Ivan Hinton, who had married his partner last week said: “this is personally devastating. In less than a week we’ve been married and we’ve been unmarried at least on a legal level. As one of the beautiful couples behind me said, we’re still married.”<br /><br />Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott opposes gay marriage and his coalition has blocked two bills which would have allowed same-sex partnerships to be recognised.<br /><br />Campaigners say despite the setback they believe it is only a matter of time before same sex marriage is recognised by the national government.
