Australian plans to hold public vote on equal marriage defeated

Controversial plans to hold a public vote on the subject of same-sex marriage in Australia have been foiled in the Australian Senate, the Guardian reports.

The decision to hold a referendum-style vote on same-sex marriage was criticised by politicians and LGBT groups, who argue that a public debate on the issue would provide a platform for bigotry: Already, one political cartoonist has come under fire for depicting LGBT activists as Nazis.

Opponents of the plebiscite believe that equal marriage could be passed in a parliamentary vote, instead of involving the whole electorate. The leader of the Labor party in the Senate, Penny Wong, feared that equal marriage opponents would “stoop to any argument to prevent change,” if a plebiscite were to take place, adding, “we did not want our families and our children publicly denigrated,” by a public vote.

However on November 6, the Senate voted against holding a plebiscite, 33 votes to 29. Campaigners now hope that a solution can be reached through parliament.

Welcoming the plebiscite bill’s defeat, Alex Greenwich, Co-Chair, Australian Marriage Equality said: “The majority of Australians and parliamentarians back marriage equality and believe this issue can be resolved by a vote in this parliament, allowing every Australian to marry the person they love.

“Now that the plebiscite legislation is dead, we again call on marriage equality supporters across all political parties to work together to find a pathway.

“Marriage equality is a straightforward reform that will not cost anything or take anything from anyone but will offer a profound difference to the status and dignity of many.

“The majority of Australians and politicians want every Australian to be able to marry the person they love. It is time our parliamentarians found a fair and dignified pathway that ensured every Australian is treated equal.”

A number of celebrities have backed a campaign called Say I Do Down Under, formed by Kylie Minogue’s fiancé, actor Joshua Sasse.

The campaign aims to spread awareness of the fight for equal marriage and raise funds for equal rights group Australians for Equality. Sasse and Minogue have also pledged to not marry until full marriage equality is reached in Australia.

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