Australians decisively support same-sex marriage

 

Australians have voted in favour of legalising same-sex marriage in a historic non-binding poll.

 

The vote showed 61.6% of people favour allowing same-sex couples to wed, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said.

 

More than 12.7 million people - about 79.5% of eligible voters - took part in the eight-week postal survey.

 

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-41992344

 

-- © Copyright BBC 2017-11-15

Australians support same-sex marriage in survey, paving way for legislation

 

People attend a rally for marriage equality of same-sex couples in Sydney, Australia, September 10, 2017. REUTERS/Jason Reed

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The majority of Australians support the country becoming the 26th nation to legalise same-sex marriage, the results of a survey by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed on Wednesday.

 

More than three quarters of the country's eligible voters took part in the non-compulsory survey. The poll is non-binding but the government has pledged to put a proposal to parliament if voters were in favour of same-sex marriage.

 

The Australian Bureau of Statistics said 61.6 percent of voters cast their ballots in support of same-sex marriage, with 38.4 percent opposing.

 

(Reporting By Colin Packham and Jane Wardell; Editing by Michael Perry)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-11-15

Good on ya, Mates!

 

Welcome to the civilized world...

I think great that they were given a vote. NZ may have beaten them to it but then 120 people decided my moral view. i tend to think given a vote more than 75% would have been in favour. sadly Australia may be backward on some things but in this case Democracy was allowed a choice.

And it only cost the tax payers of Australia 120 dollars to come up with what was/is a forgone conclusion... is Australia better for this? i don't think so as the haters will continue to hate, a 120 millions that could have been spent on much more urgent life saving causes, but who cares? it's only money...

That most polls are non binding shows how afraid of the people and true democracy they are

18 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Welcome to the civilized world...

 yes, civilized is the word I was thinking

 

 

Why should they not be allowed, they also have a right to live their lives ?...

 

A bunch of puritain politicians seem to be blocking the issue for years, making Australia is one of the few developped nations where same sex marriage is not legalised. But the Australian people seem smarter and more open then their governance, as the polls show the results.

Australians overwhelmingly support same-sex marriage, paving way for legislation

By Colin Packham and Tom Westbrook

 

Supporters of the 'Yes' vote for marriage equality celebrate after it was announced the majority of Australians support same-sex marriage in a national survey, paving the way for legislation to make the country the 26th nation to formalise the unions by the end of the year, at a rally in central Sydney, Australia, November 15, 2017. REUTERS/David Gray

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australians voted overwhelmingly in favour of same-sex marriage in a national survey, paving the way for legislation to make the country the 26th nation to formalise the unions and sparking colourful celebrations on Wednesday.

 

Thousands of people gathered in a central Sydney park, some wearing wedding dresses and sequined suits, broke into a loud cheer, hugged and cried as Australia's chief statistician revealed live over a big screen that 61.6 percent of voters favoured marriage equality, with 38.4 percent against.

 

The voluntary poll is non-binding but Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull immediately said he would fulfil a pledge to put a proposal to parliament to pass laws on marriage equality by the end of the year.

 

"It is unequivocal, it is overwhelming. They have spoken in their millions and they have voted overwhelmingly yes for marriage equality," he told reporters in Canberra. "They voted yes for fairness, yes for commitment, yes for love."

 

The result marks a watershed moment for gay rights in Australia, where it was illegal in some states to engage in homosexual activity until 1997.

 

"It's a g'day. Way to go Australia," tweeted U.S. TV host Ellen DeGeneres, who is married to Australian actress Portia de Rossi in the United States.

 

Almost 80 percent of the country's eligible voters took part in the survey - a higher voter turnout than Britain's Brexit vote and Ireland's same-sex marriage referendum.

 

Irish-born Qantas Airways Chief Executive Alan Joyce, one of the few openly gay business leaders in Australia and a major supporter of the yes campaign during the postal survey, told the crowd in Sydney that it was "an amazing outcome" and urged Turnbull to move quickly on legislation.

 

Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe, also at the Sydney celebration, told reporters he was extremely anxious ahead of the result.

 

"It is such an important outcome for so many people right across the country," Thorpe said. "It means that the way you feel for another person, whoever that may be, is equal."

 

The carnival atmosphere continued through the morning in both Sydney and Melbourne, with some people carrying banners declaring "our love is real" and many sheltering from the hot sun under rainbow umbrellas.

 

(Reporting By Colin Packham and Tom Westbrook. Writing by Jane Wardell.; Editing by Michael Perry)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-11-15

Liberal coalition run Parliament (Liberal party is conservatives, if you don't know) too chicken sh*t to allow a conscious vote, so blew the cash on this opinion poll.... they say they will respect it, but religious types will want exceptions, dodges to allow freedom to be a bigot. The vote by public was not on a binding law or amendment to Constitution.

1 hour ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Good on ya, Mates!

 

Welcome to the civilized world...

You're definately not aussie.  It's on ya cobbers  or on ya mate. No plural.

1 hour ago, isaanbanhou said:

 yes, civilized is the word I was thinking

 

 

Will this now be the new dress code for Australia?

Well done Australia. 

 

Doing what your politicians are too cowardly (and I’m being very generous in my word choice here) to do. 

Australia has finally gone down the drain. 

Great day for Australia!  

My fondest best wishes to all my lovely Oz friends here and back in Australia! Let hope legislation follows swiftly.

With Love from David,  CM LGBT Group Leader.

3 hours ago, Kiwiken said:

I think great that they were given a vote. NZ may have beaten them to it but then 120 people decided my moral view. i tend to think given a vote more than 75% would have been in favour. sadly Australia may be backward on some things but in this case Democracy was allowed a choice.

Ah, the good old Kiwi chip on the shoulder never goes away.

1 hour ago, Thechook said:

Will this now be the new dress code for Australia?

In summer it has been for decades.

I believe Scotland is having a vote soon ,its being held by Ben Doon and Phil Mcavety.

Good, lets be finally done with it and let them all enjoy the thrall of married life. Don't see it being the governments business what people do in private life. Maybe now we can get it off the daily front page and start to debate the real issues stuffing up the country.

4 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Good on ya, Mates!

 

Welcome to the civilized world...

Amazed that it took so long but good for you

1 hour ago, wonder6281 said:

Australia has finally gone down the drain. 

Welcome to the 21st century.

 

We do hope you enjoy your stay.

4 hours ago, Kiwiken said:

I think great that they were given a vote. NZ may have beaten them to it but then 120 people decided my moral view. i tend to think given a vote more than 75% would have been in favour. sadly Australia may be backward on some things but in this case Democracy was allowed a choice.

 

Anything that’s not explicitly illegal, is legal. For example, on the roads, there are only “stop” signs, and no “don’t stop” signs. Strangely, this notion doesn’t always apply when it comes to equal rights for minorities.

 

The notion that the majority can decide what rights  a minority should enjoy is fundamentally flawed.   Once the following are established: Consensual adult marriage is a right Consensual adult sex is a right Sexual orientation is natural and not illegal   Then What two consenting adults of whatever sexual orientation decide to do that other adults are legally allowed to do as a matter of course, should not be subject to majority approval.   In light of current enlightenment, they should automatically have the rights everyone else has and relevant laws (such as regarding joint taxation, spousal benefits, etc) should simply be updated as a matter of course.

1 hour ago, aslimversgwm said:

Great day for Australia!  

My fondest best wishes to all my lovely Oz friends here and back in Australia! Let hope legislation follows swiftly.

With Love from David,  CM LGBT Group Leader.

Hmm. What about the Q's??

2 hours ago, wonder6281 said:

Australia has finally gone down the drain. 

You must be from Central QLD!    

As do I. Everyone should be able to experience the joys of divorce.

Excellent news.  Now Kylie can marry Joshua Sasse ... oops, hang on, they seem to have split up earlier this year.  Oh well, never mind.

1 minute ago, Ulic said:

As do I. Everyone should be able to experience the joys of divorce.

Dont worry after a couple of years of marriage they will be dumping their fat irrating farang husbands and heading to thailand for a slimmer younger model.  The poor buggers dont realise what they wanted so badly

They've come a long way since... well... back then ;-) 

Monty Python's BRUCE.wmv (NO POOFTERS!)

Edited November 15, 20178 yr by Captain_Bob

all this has a hidden agenda which is the undermining and  destruction of the nuclear family which has been the cornerstone of our society for a millennia or do you really think the "controllers" give a damn whether a small percentage of homosexuals who would actually want to get married get their wish?

Just now, car720 said:

What did they do?  I have never seen something so orchestrated since the last Australia vs USA cricket match.

 

They voted Yes.

 

Orchestrated or not, the people did what the politicians should have.