This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2017/nov/15/australias-same-sex-marriage-postal-survey-results-live

The article has changed 14 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Australia's same-sex marriage postal survey: 61.6% yes, 38.4% no – live Australia's same-sex marriage postal survey: 61.6% yes, 38.4% no – live
(35 minutes later)
Australian Christian Lobby’s Lyle Shelton, seeking to interpret the result, has said the yes side has “been campaigning for many, many years”, as opposed to the no side, which has only had three months.
Shelton said he respects the results, but:
“Three months wasn’t long enough to overturn 10 years or more [of yes campaigning],” he said.
He said the no side had been highly successful in the short time it had.
“We know that we’ve shifted at least 1m votes, it wasn’t enough to get over the line at the end of the day,” he said.
My colleague, Amy Remeikis, who is reporting on the Queensland election campaign, reports there were cheers from the Labor campaign plane as the result rolled in.
“Thank you Australia,” says Labor senator Penny Wong.
“Thank you for standing up for fairness, thank you for standing up for equality, thank you for standing up for the LGBTIQ community everywhere and for standing up for our families.”
Wong says Australia has done its part and now it’s time for the parliament to do its part.
“I hope everyone in this parliament has heard the resounding voice of the Australian people today. A mandate for change, for fairness for equality, because it is time. It’s time to change to marriage law, it’s time to remove discrimination, for equality.”
Wong finishes with a message to the LGBTIQ community.
“You didn’t want this process, and it has been really hard for many of you,” she says.
“I hope from this you can take a message of solidarity, of support, of deceny from your fellow Australians.”
Senator Dean Smith has called the result the “strongest electoral mandate we have seen”, stronger than the Howard election, stronger than the conscription plebiscite.
“A huge democratic achievement for our country”, he says.
“It’s now up to parliament to do what it’s always been expected to do - to legislate.”
He urged support for his bill, which will be presented to the Senate today and debated tomorrow.
This is pretty great.
From Melissa Davey in Melbourne, the moment the Yes vote was announced.
The reaction in Melbourne #LoveWins @heldavidson pic.twitter.com/PoaDF6WA6P
One of the most prominent no campaigners, Eric Abetz, has congratulated the yes campaign.
Abetz said 61% was a significant victory in anyone’s language. He denied parliament has abrogated its responsibility by holding the survey. But he acknowledged the parliament will represent the views of the Australian people.
He will be supporting the same-sex marriage bill of James Paterson, which provides a greater right for businesses to discriminate against same-sex weddings.
“I will use my vote to seek to ensure the best possible protections for those classical liberal values of which I spoke,” he said.
National MP George Christensen had issued a statement on Facebook that he will vote for the Paterson bill but ABSTAIN on a bill that “is deficient in protections for people of faith”. That’s his version of not voting against his electorate’s wishes.
Christensen:
“Regarding the marriage survey, I said repeatedly and specifically that I would not vote against my electorate’s wishes. The result in the seat of Dawson is lower support than the national average for changing marriage but it is still to change it.
As such, if the Patterson bill is put forward or the protections that are in it are put into another marriage bill, I will vote yes. Otherwise, if a bill comes forward that is deficient in protections for people of faith, conscientious objectors and parents (when it comes to what’s taught in schools), then I will abstain, which keeps faith with my commitment – I will not vote against the wishes of my electorate.
During the campaign, we were repeatedly told that changing the definition of marriage would not impact upon peoples’ religious liberty or contentious beliefs and that it would not impact upon what was taught in the classroom nor the rights of parents in that respect.
Given this is what was said by those pushing the yes line, we now need to ensure that any law changing the definition of marriage enshrines these rights that we were told would not be impacted by changing marriage. Any argument against such protections proves that the yes advocates were lying and that this change will have those negative impacts we were concerned about.”
The prime minister has warned there is no chance of Paterson’s bill getting through parliament.
Bill Shorten has addressed the crowd in Melbourne: “Today we celebrate, tomorrow we legislate. What this shows is unconditional love always has the last word. It may have been 61% who voted yes but you are 100% loved and valued and, as of the next few weeks in parliament, 100% able to marry the people you love.”
Bill Shorten tells Melbourne; "What this shows is unconditional love always has the last word. Today we celebrate, tomorrow we legislate." pic.twitter.com/ok0ac2B4Kf
“The nation has put its heart into winning this survey,” says Anna Brown, co-chair of the Marriage Equality campaign and director of legal advocacy at the Human Rights Law Centre.
“LGBTI Australians, their friends and families will be celebrating. All Australians should have the same opportunities for love, commitment and happiness. All Australians should be able to marry the person they love. This result confirms that the majority of Australians absolutely agree.”
the Australian people have spoken loud and clear. #LoveIsLove 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈 pic.twitter.com/FMQ1tDc9yY
Whoop! Congratulations, #Australia! https://t.co/wiIKYw9qDD
Warringah, the electorate of Tony Abbott, one of the strongest campaigners against marriage equality and who said a 40% no vote would be “a moral victory”, has returned the 10th highest yes vote in the country, according to the AFR.
Top 10 yes vote % electorates. #marriageequalitySydney -PlibersekMelbourne -BandtMelbourne Ports - DanbyWentworth - TurnbullGrayndler - AlbaneseBrisbane - EvansHiggins - O'DwyerGriffith - ButlerGoldstein- WilsonWarringah - Abbott pic.twitter.com/iOmKRVXqRw
Here are the results, care of our data wizard, Nick Evershed.Here are the results, care of our data wizard, Nick Evershed.
There’s an interesting result in Bennelong, which is facing a looming by-election, which Labor hopes to win. There’s an interesting result in Bennelong, which is facing a looming byelection, which Labor hopes to win.
The electorate was fairly evenly split, with 49.8% voting yes and 50.2% voting no. What will that mean for Kristina Keneally, Labor’s star candidate? The seat is already considered safe Liberal. She’s facing an uphill battle. Can she convince an electorate that is 50.2% against same-sex marriage to vote for her? We’ll soon find out. The electorate was fairly evenly split, with 49.8% voting yes and 50.2% voting no.
What will that mean for Kristina Keneally, Labor’s star candidate? The seat is already considered safe Liberal. She’s facing an uphill battle. Can she convince an electorate that is 50.2% against same-sex marriage to vote for her? We’ll soon find out.
“This happened because millions of Australians reached out to our own families, neighbourhoods, organisations – to stand up for equality, stand by our loved ones and share why YES was so important,” says Alex Greenwich, of the Equality Campaign.“This happened because millions of Australians reached out to our own families, neighbourhoods, organisations – to stand up for equality, stand by our loved ones and share why YES was so important,” says Alex Greenwich, of the Equality Campaign.
“You’ve done it. It’s YES,” he said.“You’ve done it. It’s YES,” he said.
“Now, because of you, ours will be the last generation in which LGBTI relationships are not equal under the law. For the young person growing up in a small town, for the couple who have been together 40 years, and the person who’s been longing to propose: you belong here, your love is celebrated and honoured here, and never again will you be made to feel otherwise by our country’s laws.“Now, because of you, ours will be the last generation in which LGBTI relationships are not equal under the law. For the young person growing up in a small town, for the couple who have been together 40 years, and the person who’s been longing to propose: you belong here, your love is celebrated and honoured here, and never again will you be made to feel otherwise by our country’s laws.
So pick up the phone right now. Call your son or daughter. Text your best friend. Hug your grandma. High-five the coffee guy. Pump the music in your office. Put a shiny new badge on your profile pic. Give your child a great big cuddle. Because today in Australia, fairness and equality triumphed, and we can all be proud.”So pick up the phone right now. Call your son or daughter. Text your best friend. Hug your grandma. High-five the coffee guy. Pump the music in your office. Put a shiny new badge on your profile pic. Give your child a great big cuddle. Because today in Australia, fairness and equality triumphed, and we can all be proud.”
Reactions and observations flooding in.
It’s a g’day. Way to go Australia. #MarriageEquality pic.twitter.com/0tdnBHPAW1
Penny Wong breaks down after she hears the #SSM result in P/H @GuardianAus @knausc #politicslive pic.twitter.com/28oHhROfIH
Scenes of absolute elation in Brisbane. Crowds dancing, hugging, cheering and crying. #ssm #marriageequality @couriermail pic.twitter.com/310gP9d6p0
Thank you, Australia #yes
Malcolm Turnbull says Australians have voted “overwhelmingly yes” for fairness and commitment.
“We asked the Australian public for their view. This was an unprecedented exercise in democracy. A voluntary survey in which 80% participated and 61.6% have said yes. That is an overwhelming participation rate and an overwhelming yes vote. I know many people -a minority obviously - voted no. But we are a fair nation. There is nothing more Australian than a fair go... equality and mutual respect, and everyone has had their say.”
The ABC is reporting from outside the No campaign. It looks... quiet.
The prime minister is scheduled to hold a press conference at 10.15am. He’ll be speaking with Mathias Cormann.
The results are starting to come in by electorate. Turnbull’s electorate of Wentworth delivered a staggering result for the yes camp. It returned an 80% yes vote. Just 19.2% of Turnbull’s electorate voted no.
Tony Abbott’s electorate of Warringah voted 75% yes.
State and territory breakdown graph courtesy of the ABS.
pic.twitter.com/KWp0Wfk8Ef
Melbourne and Sydney had the highest results for Yes - 83.7%.
A dance party has erupted in Melbourne
133 of 150 electorates voted yes in the majority, 95 by more than 60%. Just 17 electorates voted no.
7,817,247 people voted yes.
4,873,987 voted no - just 38.4% of the clear responses. Sorry Tony Abbott.
79.5% of people voted. This was “outstanding for a voluntary survey,” he said.
All age groups had participation rates above 70%, but slightly more in older age groups.
18 and 19 year olds responded with around 78% participating.
Australian statistician David Kalisch is speaking. He says the ABS provided trusted, relevant and accurate statistics.
Kalisch had promised he wouldn’t draw out the announcement but is is feeling extremely drawn out.
Come on mate.