Voters get say on gays

Court allows same-sex marriage survey

A survey to ask 16 million Australians if they support legalising same sex marriage will be posted out from next Tuesday after the High Court approved its validity. Forms and envelopes have already been printed and a $15 million advertising blitz will begin on Sunday to tell Australians how they can participate. —

A SURVEY to ask 16 million Australians if they support legalising same-sex marriage will be posted out from next Tuesday after the High Court approved its validity.

Forms and envelopes have already been printed and a $15 million advertising blitz will begin on Sunday to tell Australians how they can participate.

Yes and No vote advocates immediately ramped up their campaigns yesterday, launching new TV and radio advertisements to persuade Australians, who will be asked to return the voluntary survey by October 27.

The result will be announced on November 15, and if the majority of Australians support same sex marriage, Malcolm Turnbull has promised to introduce a Bill in Parliament to legalise it.

The full bench of the High Court dismissed two cases against the $122 million survey, one from Tasmanian independent MP Andrew Wilkie, advocate Felicity Marlowe and the Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, and the other from Australian Marriage Equality and Greens senator Janet Rice.

Taxpayers will not pay for the Government’s defence of the survey after costs were awarded against the same-sex marriage advocates.

The Prime Minister looked relieved after the court’s decision was announced in Parliament yesterday.

“Lucy and I will be voting Yes and I will be encouraging others to vote Yes. Above all, I encourage every Australian to have their say,” he said.

He dismissed Bill Shorten’s request to sign a joint letter in support of same-sex marriage, questioning whether that “would actually increase the case for the Yes vote”.

The Opposition Leader thanked those who tried to stop the survey to “avoid the pain and the hurt and the vile things which will be said”.

“If this survey must be, then we must win it,” Mr Shorten said.

Australian Christian Lobby managing director Lyle Shelton said the vote could impact “free speech, freedom of religion, and the rights of parents to have a say on whether their children are taught radical LGBTIQ sex and gender programs at school”.

The Equality Campaign executive director Tiernan Brady said: “This is a vote about the worth, dignity and status of members of our family, friends, workmates and neighbours.”