Australia: Group Calculates Cost of Gay Marriage Ban to Country: $700 Million

Australia's ban on same-sex marriage costs the Australian economy over $700 million according to figures released today by Australian Marriage Equality (AME). Using a simple formula developed by economists in the United States, AME has multiplied the average cost of weddings in Australia with the percentage of Australia's same-sex couples who would marry if they had the choice.

The last Census indicated that there are at least 50,000 same-sex couples, however the Bureau of Statistics admits that the actual figure would higher than that due to the way information is recorded. "Not so Private Lives", a recent national study conducted at the University of Queensland, showed that at least 53% of these couples would marry if they could. The ABS in 2007 calculated the average cost of a wedding at $28,000 (although recent studies have the figure as high as $49,000). When you pull these figures together you get an amount of $742,000,000.

AME's figures are in line with recent US studies that have shown allowing same-sex marriage would generate US$200 million for the New Jersey economy over 3 years and US$21 million for the city of San Francisco in 1 year alone.

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