Oz to vote on gay marriage

– Australia’s bitter political battle over legalising gay marriage yesterday came to a head, with the government pushing ahead with a postal vote after parliament rejected a referendum – both options opposed by activists.

Polls indicate popular support in Australia for marriage equality but the issue has dragged on for more than a decade amid political wrangling over the best way to vote on the issue.

The conservative Liberal-National coalition last year went to the polls promising to hold a plebiscite but the opposition Labour Party, Greens and cross-bench senators yesterday rejected the option in the upper house Senate for the second time.

The opposition, along with many gay rights campaigners, favour a free vote among MPs, with parliamentarians not bound by party policy. They say a national vote is costly and will prove divisive, subjecting gay people and their families to hate speech.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull committed Aus$122 million (R1.3 trillion) to the postal vote, run by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, with ballot papers sent out by September 12 and due back in early November.

If it returns a “yes” outcome, government will table a private Bill on parliament’s lower house, where the Liberals could cast a free vote by December. –

Sydney