Results of Australia's Survey on Same-Sex Marriage Are In

The country is overwhelmingly in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 14, 2017 6:18 PM CST
Australia Overwhelmingly Votes in Favor of Same-Sex Marriage
In this Oct. 21, 2017 file photo, supporters of marriage equality march in Sydney, Australia. The majority of Australians voted to legalize same-sex marriage in a non-binding survey, the results of which were released Wednesday.   (Daniel Munoz/AAP Image via AP, File)

Australians have overwhelmingly voted in favor of same-sex marriage, the New Zealand Herald reports. The results of a two-month-long, $93 million survey were released Wednesday morning: 61.6% in favor of legalization, 38.4% opposed. According to CNN, the "yes" side won every state and territory in the country. One man celebrating the results tells the New York Times it's "our proudest moment as gay and lesbian Australians," adding, "Finally I can be proud of my country." Nearly 80% of voting-age Australians participated in the survey.

While the survey was not legally binding, Australian lawmakers plan to quickly introduce a bill in Parliament to legalize same-sex marriage. The survey was called by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who supports same-sex marriage. "My commitment was to give every Australian their say," Turnbull says. "That has been done, they have spoken." He adds: "They voted 'yes' for fairness, they voted 'yes' for commitment, they voted 'yes' for love." He says he wants same-sex marriage legalized by Christmas and says Parliament needs "to get on with it." (More Australia stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X