Australia seeks to resolve gay marriage debate this year

[webfact]

Australia seeks to resolve gay marriage debate this year

 

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull speaks as Australia's Minister for Justice Michael Keenan listens on during a media conference in Sydney, Australia, July 30, 2017. AAP/Sam Mooy/via REUTERS

 

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia will vote in November on whether to allow same-sex marriage, settling a long-stalled debate by the end of this year, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Tuesday.

 

The conservative government decided on Monday to hold a non-compulsory postal vote on whether to allow same-sex couples to marry, if a second attempt to win parliamentary support for a compulsory national ballot fails.

 

If, as expected, the government does not win support for a compulsory ballot, which it would hold on Nov. 25, then it will send out postal ballots in September, seeking an outcome by Nov. 15, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said.

 

Same-sex marriage is supported by 61 percent of Australians, a 2016 Gallup opinion poll showed, but the issue has fractured the government and damaged Turnbull's standing with voters.

 

If the population votes in favour of allowing gay marriage, then the government plans to introduce legislation in the final two weeks of parliament's sitting this year to carry that out.

 

"We've been very clear about this: we will facilitate a private members' bill to change the law in respect to same-sex marriage so same-sex couples can be married if there's a 'yes' vote, and if it is a 'no' vote we won't," Turnbull told reporters in Canberra.

 

Same sex-marriage advocates, who would prefer a conscience vote on the issue in parliament, have threatened to launch a court challenge against using a postal vote as the basis to change a law.

 

But Cormann, in his role as finance minister, said he has the power to ask the Australian Bureau of Statistics to run a "survey" of the population's view on allowing gay marriage, and under the constitution the government could make laws based on those statistics.

 

He said there was precedent for asking the public for its opinion on a policy issue, pointing to a survey carried out by phone in 1974 which led to Australia changing its national anthem.

 

(Reporting by Sonali Paul; Editing by Nick Macfie)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-08-08

[ezzra]

Australia is going through a tough times with all the political back

stabbings, fighting and arguments, and a whole host of other

more important issues and they set stuck on is gay marriages....

[attrayant]

2 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Australia is going through a tough times with all the political back

stabbings, fighting and arguments, and a whole host of other

more important issues and they set stuck on is gay marriages....

 

I think you read it wrong.  It sounds like they've been stuck on this for a while, and now want to move forward and get unstuck.

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Australia is going through a tough times with all the political back

stabbings, fighting and arguments, and a whole host of other

more important issues and they set stuck on is gay marriages....

That's the same tired weak tea argument against advancing any kind of civil rights for any minority group that we always here. It's never the right time. It only impacts a small percentage of people. There is always something more pressing. Total B.S.! 

[Becker]

It's sad that in the year 2017 this is even an issue in a democratic country built on Western values.

[Topdoc]

As long as the priest doesn't say: 

"With his ring-piece I hereby do you wed"

[kaorop]

18 minutes ago, Becker said:

It's sad that in the year 2017 this is even an issue in a democratic country built on Western values.

It just shows you how backwards the country has become, there was a time when things were advancing but little johnny h put paid to that with divisive bigoted rhetoric and policy which is now the standard by which everyone operates....and many have fallen victim to.

[kaorop]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

Australia is going through a tough times with all the political back

stabbings, fighting and arguments, and a whole host of other

more important issues and they set stuck on is gay marriages....

whos fault is that? the unemployed, the migrants, the minorities?

no its the A++wipes who infest canberra, spring st etc etc all at the tax payers expense..