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.
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)
The yes vote has presented the Coalition with a potentially damaging choice between two bills to make same-sex marriage lawful. One is proposed by moderate Liberal, Dean Smith, and another from James Paterson, which has the backing of conservatives. We think the debate will take place in the week of 27 November.
Conservative senators Eric Abetz and Matt Canavan have expressed support for Paterson’s bill. Paterson’s bill is designed to give greater religious protections for those who don’t want to provide goods or services to same-sex weddings. Bakers or florists, for example, could refuse to do work for same-sex weddings. Lyle Shelton, speaking at the no campaign event, has just described Paterson’s bill as a “very good bill”. He said it gives protections from threats to freedom of speech and religion.
Conservative Mathias Cormann spoke earlier. He said the Smith bill is a good place to start, but he wants amendments to improve religious protections.
“I believe the Smith bill is a good starting point and indeed a number of senators have given notices that they will seek to introduce the Smith bill into the Senate this afternoon,” he said. “I do believe that there is a need for some additional religious protections. I am not going to go into the specifics today.”
Malcolm Turnbull has promised to get the bill through by Christmas. But he now faces a tough task in attempting to broker a compromise between factions inside the Coalition.
I found Yvonne Gardner, 75, an lgbti campaigner, almost in tears. She clings my arm, and whispers in my ear; "I've been fighting for this for 50 years". #LoveWins @heldavidson pic.twitter.com/gp3sXRFS1v
How did your electorate turn out? Courtesy of Nick Evershed, below is the breakdown of participation rates for the survey.
Head of the conservative Australian Christian Lobby and leading No campaigner, Lyle Shelton says despite their “valiant effort”, “we haven’t quite got to where we wanted to go.
He says the volunteers have shown “great commitment in the campaign” and it’s been an “incredible journey”.
Shelton says he’s enjoyed the campaign and the process.
He says he’s spoken to people across the country who are now energised to participate in the democratic process, which in this case didn’t go their way.
“People wer persuaded by the yes campaign. They have been campaigning for at least a decade,” he says, describing them as “relentless”.
“They have seen the fruit of their relentlessness.”
Shelton says they will now focus on the parliamentary process.
He again calls for protections of freedom of speech, religion and conscience, again only vaguely saying how they would actually be affected by same sex marriage legislation.
Is a marriage equality data visualisation without animated rainbow confetti really a proper marriage equality data visualisation?
important datavisualisation https://t.co/6wkQpEWgGg pic.twitter.com/vanBp1kwka
More from a disappointed Lyle Shelton, who would have struggled to be in the media more during this campaign, really. Over two weeks of the campaign, Shelton got more media attention than all three leading yes campaigners combined.
Marriage Alliance blames the media for losing. pic.twitter.com/UhKddpjkeN
Michael McGowan has been at the Sydney event.
Yep! #marriageequality pic.twitter.com/radSAmZtcB
Christine Forster gets huge applause from the crowd in Sydney announcing a 75% yes vote in ... Warringah! #marriageequality
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.
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:
Shelton said he respects the results, but: “Three months wasn’t long enough to overturn 10 years or more [of yes campaigning].”
“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.
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.
“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.
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
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.
Here are the results, care of our data wizard, Nick Evershed.
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.
“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.
“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.”
