Australia’s first same-sex marriage ends in heartbreak

A terminally ill woman and her partner were the first same-sex couple to marry in Australia, it has been revealed.

Officials waived the 30-day waiting period due to exceptional circumstances, allowing Jo Grant, who was suffering from a rare form of cancer, to wed her partner of eight years, Jill Kindt.

The private ceremony took place at their home in Queensland in December, less than a week after gay marriage became legal in Australia. Sadly, Grant passed away from her illness just 48 days later.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The couple’s story was made public in parliament this week with permission from Grant’s family.

“This is a love story – of the deep bond between Jo Grant and Jill Kindt,” state Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath told lawmakers.

“This is also an inspiring story of the extraordinary length our staff went to, to make this historic marriage happen before it was too late,” she added.

The ceremony took place within 24 hours of the marriage being approved, with officials reportedly driving across the state to ensure the paperwork was delivered on time, ABC News reports.

Kindt has praised their efforts, thanking all those who helped their dream come true.

“We were overwhelmed by the fact the people who did not know us made something that we wanted happen and gave us a whole heap of joy,” she told the broadcaster. “That’s the story.”

Speaking in parliament, Attorney-General D’Ath said Grant’s mother, Sandra, believed the marriage “renewed Jo’s spirit, keeping her alive along enough to have one last Christmas with her family.”

“She passed away knowing she got to fulfil her wish to get married to the person she loved.”