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EXCLUSIVE: Neale Whitaker gets real on marriage equality

Neale Whitaker is married, but only in Britain, even though he had his ceremony in Australia.

“I was allowed to marry in Australia, in the British Consulate General,” he tells Be.

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Neale with Be's Maz Compton.
Neale with Be's Maz Compton.

The 54-year-old spoke to Be's Maz Compton about how he thinks Australia is ‘lagging behind’ on the marriage equality issue because people here are worried.

“I’m saying people – I mean politicians," he says.

Neale talking about marriage equality.
Neale talking about marriage equality.

Neale thinks politicians are worried that if they stake everything on marriage equality then it could become a problem for them.

He ‘hates’ the idea of going to a plebiscite, but says if we have to go down that path he’s confident it will pass.

Neale's confident a plebiscite would pass. Source: Instagram
Neale's confident a plebiscite would pass. Source: Instagram

The Block’s design guru and Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Living says it’s devastating, being told he isn’t allowed to marry the person he wants to spend the rest of his life with.

“The older I get the more important it becomes,” he tells Be.

When he was in his 40s Neale decided it was time to tie-the-knot. He has been with his partner, David, for 13 years and they’ve been married now for eight.

Neale and his partner David. Source: Instagram
Neale and his partner David. Source: Instagram

He has many friends who have been married in other parts of the world and they all come back to Australia, where their marriage isn’t recognised.

“It’s sad, it’s very sad,” he says, “because this is a wonderful country and I love living in Australia.”

Neale’s been calling Australia home for nearly 20 years and says the lack of marriage equality is the, “one thing that feels so wrong.”

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