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| 'Time to get this done': marriage equality events prepared as Australia awaits survey results | 'Time to get this done': marriage equality events prepared as Australia awaits survey results |
| (2 months later) | |
| Equality Campaign has promoted gatherings in several major cities to hear the results of the ABS survey at 10am | |
| Paul Karp | |
| Tue 14 Nov 2017 17.00 GMT | |
| Last modified on Tue 14 Nov 2017 20.30 GMT | |
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| The fate of same-sex couples hoping to be allowed to marry will be revealed at 10am on Wednesday when the results of Australia’s unprecedented national postal survey are announced by the Bureau of Statistics. | The fate of same-sex couples hoping to be allowed to marry will be revealed at 10am on Wednesday when the results of Australia’s unprecedented national postal survey are announced by the Bureau of Statistics. |
| After a week of debate about which bill to use in the event of a yes vote and the extent of religious protections, all eyes are now on the survey results to determine if Australia will grant LGBTI people equality before the law by Christmas. | After a week of debate about which bill to use in the event of a yes vote and the extent of religious protections, all eyes are now on the survey results to determine if Australia will grant LGBTI people equality before the law by Christmas. |
| The result will be announced at the ABS headquarters in Belconnen, Canberra, by the Australian statistician, David Kalisch,while supporters of marriage equality watch live on TV at a cross-party event in Parliament House. | The result will be announced at the ABS headquarters in Belconnen, Canberra, by the Australian statistician, David Kalisch,while supporters of marriage equality watch live on TV at a cross-party event in Parliament House. |
| The Equality Campaign has advertised events in major cities, including at Prince Alfred park in Surry Hills, Sydney, the state library in Melbourne, Queens gardens in Brisbane, Northbridge piazza in Perth and Lonsdale street in Canberra. | The Equality Campaign has advertised events in major cities, including at Prince Alfred park in Surry Hills, Sydney, the state library in Melbourne, Queens gardens in Brisbane, Northbridge piazza in Perth and Lonsdale street in Canberra. |
| A yes result is widely anticipated after public polling throughout the campaign showed consistent support for marriage equality and weekly estimates showed the survey was on track for a record turnout. | A yes result is widely anticipated after public polling throughout the campaign showed consistent support for marriage equality and weekly estimates showed the survey was on track for a record turnout. |
| On Tuesday Malcolm Turnbull said he hoped for a yes vote and noted “the pollsters will really be rocked if there isn’t”. | On Tuesday Malcolm Turnbull said he hoped for a yes vote and noted “the pollsters will really be rocked if there isn’t”. |
| The most recent poll results from Newspoll on Tuesday and the Essential poll last week found respectively that 63% and 64% of people who voted had voted yes, a result that Guardian Australia understands is reflected in the campaigns’ internal polling. | The most recent poll results from Newspoll on Tuesday and the Essential poll last week found respectively that 63% and 64% of people who voted had voted yes, a result that Guardian Australia understands is reflected in the campaigns’ internal polling. |
| But the margin of a possible yes result might have significant consequences for the ease of legislating marriage equality, with Tony Abbott suggesting anything above 40% would represent a “moral victory” for conservatives while the executive director of the Equality Campaign, Tiernan Brady, suggesting “the momentum that will flow from the will of the people will be irresistible and will sweep all before it”. | But the margin of a possible yes result might have significant consequences for the ease of legislating marriage equality, with Tony Abbott suggesting anything above 40% would represent a “moral victory” for conservatives while the executive director of the Equality Campaign, Tiernan Brady, suggesting “the momentum that will flow from the will of the people will be irresistible and will sweep all before it”. |
| On Tuesday Liberal senator Dean Smith gave notice in the Senate of his intention to introduce the cross-party marriage bill on Thursday, and Turnbull emphatically weighed in against a rival conservative bill legalising discrimination against same-sex weddings. | On Tuesday Liberal senator Dean Smith gave notice in the Senate of his intention to introduce the cross-party marriage bill on Thursday, and Turnbull emphatically weighed in against a rival conservative bill legalising discrimination against same-sex weddings. |
| The treasurer, Scott Morrison, gave some comfort to conservatives calling for greater religious protections, saying there should be “additional protections to those provided in the Dean Smith bill”. “That’s just my view, as the member for Cook ... one of 150 members of the federal House of Representatives and that is where that issue will be determined,” he said. | The treasurer, Scott Morrison, gave some comfort to conservatives calling for greater religious protections, saying there should be “additional protections to those provided in the Dean Smith bill”. “That’s just my view, as the member for Cook ... one of 150 members of the federal House of Representatives and that is where that issue will be determined,” he said. |
| Morrison said the government’s clear commitment was that parliament would decide how to legislate same-sex marriage by the end of the year, in the event of a yes vote. | Morrison said the government’s clear commitment was that parliament would decide how to legislate same-sex marriage by the end of the year, in the event of a yes vote. |
| On Monday Liberal senator James Paterson released a conservative same-sex marriage bill that would roll back anti-discrimination laws to allow commercial service providers to reject same-sex weddings. | On Monday Liberal senator James Paterson released a conservative same-sex marriage bill that would roll back anti-discrimination laws to allow commercial service providers to reject same-sex weddings. |
| While some conservatives have called for a partyroom debate about whether to use the Paterson bill or the cross-party bill drafted by Smith, senior ministers including influential conservative Mathias Cormann have protected the prime minister’s position that parliament should decide the bill and any possible amendments. | While some conservatives have called for a partyroom debate about whether to use the Paterson bill or the cross-party bill drafted by Smith, senior ministers including influential conservative Mathias Cormann have protected the prime minister’s position that parliament should decide the bill and any possible amendments. |
| Turnbull said the government “would not countenance” legalising discrimination against same-sex weddings, and a bill to do so would have “virtually no prospect” of passing parliament. | Turnbull said the government “would not countenance” legalising discrimination against same-sex weddings, and a bill to do so would have “virtually no prospect” of passing parliament. |
| Australian Marriage Equality co-chair Alex Greenwich said that now Smith had given notice of the cross-party bill, “for the first time we have a clear pathway to marriage equality and this is thanks to a powerful political consensus in support of the LGBTI community and a fair go for all”. | Australian Marriage Equality co-chair Alex Greenwich said that now Smith had given notice of the cross-party bill, “for the first time we have a clear pathway to marriage equality and this is thanks to a powerful political consensus in support of the LGBTI community and a fair go for all”. |
| Brady said if the marriage law postal survey returned a yes vote “there is no reason [the Smith] bill cannot be passed within days”. | Brady said if the marriage law postal survey returned a yes vote “there is no reason [the Smith] bill cannot be passed within days”. |
| “It is good to know that across the political spectrum – from the prime minister, to the crossbench, to the opposition – that people are clearly of the mind it is time to get this done,” he said. | “It is good to know that across the political spectrum – from the prime minister, to the crossbench, to the opposition – that people are clearly of the mind it is time to get this done,” he said. |
| Same-sex marriage postal survey | |
| Marriage equality | |
| Australian politics | |
| LGBT rights | |
| Australian law | |
| Coalition | |
| news | |
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