Australia’s Gay-Marriage Vote Is Divisive, Even for Gay-Marriage Backers
Professor Gerber said she believed it showed how "out of step" the government was with the wishes of the Australian people, "because the public overwhelmingly in opinion
polls support marriage equality." "Really, this plebiscite is no more than a glorified opinion poll — a 122-million-dollar opinion poll," Professor Gerber said.
Turnbull said that We will not facilitate the introduction of a private members bill on
this matter unless the Australian people have given their support through a ‘yes’ vote,
I think they should abandon it." Professor Gerber, at Monash, said the leader of the election campaign for same-sex marriage in Ireland came to Australia a few months ago
and strongly discouraged holding a vote in Australia.
Same-sex marriage is a highly politicized issue in the country,
and experts said the postal vote was a highly unusual, perhaps unique, path for Australia to pursue.
10, 2017
SYDNEY, Australia — Polls show broad public support for same-sex marriage.
The decision to let the Australian Bureau of Statistics handle the postal vote instead of the Australian Electoral
Commission has also mystified some politicians, who say the bureau has never been asked to do anything like it.