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,Excluding Tokelau, Niue and the Cook Islands. and eight territories or states, namely Easter Island, French Polynesia, Guam, Hawaii, New Caledonia, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Pitcairn Islands and Wallis and Futuna allow same-sex couples to legally marry. In American Samoa, same-sex marriage is not performed, but same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions are recognized.
Current situation
National level Status Country Legal since Country population(Last Census count) Marriage (2 countries) Australia 2017Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Act 2017 24,754,000 New Zealand 2013Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act 2013 4,840,750 Total—— 29,594,750(80% of the Oceanian population) No recognition (10 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 Vanuatu — 240,000 Subtotal—— 7,366,465(19.44% of the Oceanian population) Constitutional ban on marriage ( 2 countries)* same-sex sexual activity illegal Palau 2008Constitutional proposal 2-274: Marriages between men and women only 19,409 Tuvalu *202311,146 Subtotal—— 30,555 (0.1% of the Oceanian population) Total—— 7,397,020 (20% of the Oceanian population)
Sub-national level Status Country Jurisdiction Legal since Marriage(8 jurisdictions) Chile Easter Island 2022 France New Caledonia French Polynesia Wallis and Futuna 2013 LOI n° 2013-404 du 17 mai 2013 ouvrant le mariage aux couples de personnes de même sexe United Kingdom Pitcairn Islands 2015 United States Guam (2015)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 Hawaii (2013)Hawaii Marriage Equality Act of 2013 Northern Mariana Islands (2015) VariesRecognizes marriages performed in other jurisdictions only(1 jurisdiction) United States American Samoa 2022 No recognition(3 jurisdictions) New Zealand Cook Islands Niue Tokelau —
Public opinion
Notes
See also
LGBT rights in Oceania Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey Recognition of same-sex unions in Africa Recognition of same-sex unions in the Americas Recognition of same-sex unions in Asia Recognition of same-sex unions in Europe
Notes
References