PAAustralians have overwhelmingly voted in favour of legalising same-sex marriage in a historic poll, which many observers can’t believe took this long to happen.
The postal vote showed 61.6 per cent of people favour, allowing same-sex couples to wed, the Australian Bureau of Statistics stated.
Jubilant supporters have been celebrating in public spaces, waving rainbow flags while singing and dancing.
GettyA bill to change the law was introduced into the Senate late on Wednesday and will now be debated for amendments, reports the BBC.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said his government would aim to pass legislation in parliament by Christmas.
He added:
[Australians] have spoken in their millions and they have voted overwhelmingly yes for marriage equality.
They voted yes for fairness, yes for commitment, yes for love.
The people of Australia have spoken and I intend to make their wish the law of the land by Christmas. This is an overwhelming call for marriage equality. pic.twitter.com/PWZbH5H71r
— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) November 14, 2017
After a two month national survey, Australians have emphatically voted to legalise same-sex marriage, 61.6 per cent to 31.4 per cent.
The issue only went to a non-binding voluntary postal vote after a long and bitter debate about amending Australia’s Marriage Act.
The No campaign had previously said they’d settle for a result over 40 per cent, with Tony Abbott, former Prime Minister, saying it would be a ‘moral’ victory, reports Pink News.
GettyThe ‘Yes’ to gay marriage campaign have since been holding celebrations across the country, with great gusto from the LGBT+ community and all those who support equality.
A giant rainbow flag will be raised to mark the result at 5pm local time on Wednesday. The flag flies about Taylor Square at the centre of the city’s LGBT+ neighbourhood of Darlinghurst.
Welcome to the 21st century, Oz!
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.