Ten years since marriage equality first reached majority support in Australia
Image: (PHOTO: David Alexander; Star Observer)
MARRIAGE equality advocates are calling for a free vote on same sex marriage, a decade after marriage equality reached majority support in Australia.
Ten years ago tomorrow the first poll showed majority support for marriage equality, and advocates are using the anniversary to call on the government to drop its plebiscite policy in favour of a free vote.
“On June 21 2007 a Fairfax poll showed 57 per cent support for marriage equality, the first time a poll had returned majority backing for the reform in Australia,” said just.equal spokesperson and long-time marriage equality advocate Rodney Croome.
“Every single one of the scores of polls conducted over the last decade has confirmed the result of that 2007 poll—a majority of Australians back marriage equality—with some polls showing support as high as 72 per cent.
“With majority support for marriage equality so clear and so unshakeable, it’s absurd for the government to stick to its policy of an expensive and divisive plebiscite.
“This issue could be resolved tomorrow with a cross-party free vote in parliament.
“We know what Australians think, so let’s get on with it.”
Calls for marriage equality in Australia are growing, with corporate and religious groups supporting the cause, and federal MPs launching a set of multilingual marriage equality discussion resources at Parliament House last week.
Why do the hetero australians not want same sex marriage legalised, who are the ones living in the past (bible bashers?) in australia stopping the legislation? It must have something to do with religious stigma and prejudice?