"All eyes now on Australian marriage equality" - Human Rights Campaign, US

 In the wake of the US decision to legalise gay marriage across the nation, the US based Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is now turning it's attention to Australia and marriage equality here. HRC says it has 1,5 million members and supporters across the US, and will support Australia's efforts to get that fuckwit Abbott out of the way.  

Australia, which currently allows civil unions between same sex couples, is the next country with an opportunity to approve nationwide marriage equality. Support for legalization of same-sex marriage has hit an all-time high of 72 percent among Australians. Yet for the past six years, the decision to legalize same sex marriage has been held up in parliament for a variety of political reasons. After today's U.S. decision, the world will now focus on whether the Australian Government will allow its members to vote their conscience on marriage -- despite Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s steadfast reluctance to allow such a vote. 

Riding on the momentum from the successful same sex marriage referendum in Ireland - the first time a country’s citizens had voted for such a measure -- the leader of the Australian opposition Labor Party, Bill Shorten, earlier this month introduced a bill to legalize same sex marriage across Australia. Mr. Shorten said: ‘Our laws should be a mirror reflecting our great and generous country and our free, inclusive society.’ 

However the Coalition government led by Prime Minister Abbott, refuses to allow members of his ruling coalition to vote their conscience on this matter. It is worth pointing out that 77 percent of Australians think that he should free up Members of Parliament to vote as they wish. Abbott has long opposed measures to recognize same-sex marriage for a range of personal and political reasons, including, as he has said, being the last holdout in his family for “the traditional position.” 

According to Australian Marriage Equality national convener Rodney Croome: "Australia is now the only developed, English-speaking country that doesn't allow same-sex couples to marry." But that could all change soon. Love can’t wait, and Australians should not have to wait any longer for marriage equality. more