Sister of anti-gay former Australian PM Tony Abbott is finally getting married after years of waiting
Christine Forster, the sister of former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is getting married now that she is finally able to.
Forster and her partner Virginia Edwards have been engaged for four years and have been waiting for the right to marry on Australian soil.
Forster announced her formal intention to marry on Twitter earlier today, tweeting a photo of her and her partner signing the required paperwork.
(Photo: @resourcefultype /Twitter)
In the tweet she said: “It’s official! @surryhillsgal and I have lodged our Notice of Intent to Marry #Excited #LoveIsLove #MarriageEquality”
Forster’s brother Tony Abbott was a highly outspoken opponent of same-sex marriage throughout the successful postal survey.
Related: Australian MP, If gays can get married, why can’t I marry the Eiffel Tower?
In the summer, the former prime minister said that those who supported same-sex marriage were ‘moral bullies’
Tony Abbott in Parliament (Stefan Postles/Getty Images)
Forster has been openly critical of her brother’s anti-gay stance, condemning Abbott’s work with anti-LGBT groups and his work for the ‘No’ side of the postal vote.
In August, Forster detailed the ’emotional baggage’ that came with her brother’s opposition to her rights in a heartfelt column in the Daily Telegraph.
Earlier this year, Abbott faced sharp criticism after saying that Forster’s children would be better off with a straight couple.
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Thankfully, Australia voted to allow same-sex marriage, with over 60% of voters saying yes to marriage equality.
However, the happy couple will have a little longer to wait before they can tie the knot.
Australia has a month-long notice period for couples waiting to marry, the first wave of same-sex unions will not be able to begin until January 9 – one month from the date of the law coming into effect.
(Getty)
However, a few couples have been given rare exemptions from the notice period – and are set to take the mantle of the first couples to wed.
Forster and Edwards are planning to get married in February and we wish them both the best.
