If you’ve just awoken from a coma, or perhaps live overseas with absolutely no access to the news, you might not be aware that Australia is in the middle of a giant stand-off over marriage equality, the right of gay couples to be legally married.

Admittedly I have lived most of my adult life not really giving two tosses about marriage – it was a straight gig with religious overtones that wasn’t my thing.  But things have changed.  Now I’m engaged to the woman of my dreams, and I actually do want a wedding – not a civil ceremony or any other substitute, but the real thing – confetti, rings, cake and of course an official certificate.

Successive governments here have dragged their feet over this issue.  We are now the only English-speaking democracy left on earth without marriage equality.  Our current government seems to be under the sway…