Support for gay marriage is on the rise as the debate hots up in Australia
About a third of Australian adults believe gay marriage should be encouraged — up from 8 per cent in the late 1990s, says a new survey.
But the Australia Scan survey of 2000 people revealed that almost half thought the concept was unacceptable and 18 per cent were unsure.
For Victorians, support for gay marriage was highest among 25-34-year-olds (49 per cent said it should be encouraged) and lowest among those aged over 65 (two-thirds said it was unacceptable).
Melbourne University’s Dr Graham Willett said support for gay marriage surged after the Howard government, backed by Labor, legislated to restrict marriage to a union between a man and a woman.
“People started to think that’s not very fair. It was a sort of gratuitous insult to their family, their friends, their workmates who are gay,” Dr Willett explained.
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