Over 125,000 Australians have expressed support for marriage equality through a survey conducted by the House of Representatives Social Policy and Legal Affairs committee.
Final results are expected to be published on Monday, but by Friday the 20th of April 58.1% of the 218,048 respondants had expressed support for the bill. A last minute push by advocacy groups Australian Marriage Equality, Amnesty International and GetUp could see the number of supportive respondants grow even higher.
Australian Marriage Equality national convener Alex Greenwich said the result showed how passionatey Australians support the reform.
“Marriage equality is clearly not a fringe or minority issue – it is an issue which speaks to core Australian values.”
“No other reform has ever motivated this many Australians to engage in a parliamentary inquiry.”
“Marriage equality goes to heart of the nation’s aspiration to be a fair and equal society.”
Mr Greenwich thanked the over seventy clergy from all faith backgrounds who urged their fellow Australians to write to the inquiry in support of marriage equality because of the benefit the reform will have for families and communities. (List of Clergy can be found here)
“Religious leaders are increasingly opening their hearts to this reform, and it is now time for political leaders to join them in supporting what a majority of Australians clearly and emphatically want”.
Mr Greenwich said that pro-equality submissions to the inquiry are also of very high quality with many people from across the social, religious and political spectrum taking the time to explain why their support equality.
Submissions to the House of Representatives Social Policy Committee inquiry closed Friday, April 20th.
59% of submissions to a parallel inquiry by the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee were in favour of marriage equality.
Opinion polls show about 60% of Australians believe same-sex couples should be allowed to marry.
For more information contact Alex Greenwich on 0421 316 335.