Pyne optimistic High Court challenge won’t stop marriage postal vote

Liberal MP Christopher Pyne has said he is hopeful the planned postal vote for marriage equality will survive High Court challenges this week.

Today and tomorrow, the High Court will hear two challenges against the government’s proposed use of the Australian Bureau of Statistics to poll Australian voters.

Pyne said he wouldn’t speculate on what could happen if the plan were struck down by the court, Out in Perth has reported.

“I think that we have to deal with what we have ahead of us and what we have ahead of us is the High Court making a decision,” Pyne said

“If the High Court rules against the postal vote going ahead, then I guess we’ll have to consider options after that, but we are certainly making our best efforts to ensure that we keep our policy, which was a national vote, everyone having a say, everyone being part of this decision.

“I hope that it will be a yes decision and then we can pass a bill by the end of the year and we can all get on with a lot of other issues that people think are very important.”