A new poll shows nearly three quarters of Australians support legalising same-sex marriage. The poll, commissioned by Australian Marriage Equality and conducted by Crosby|Textor in late June reveals strong and growing support for marriage equality since this question was last asked in Nielsen’s 2013 poll. The nationwide telephone survey of 1,000 randomly selected Australians found 72 per cent now support legalising same-sex marriage, including around half ‘strongly supporting’ it. Just a fifth opposed this to any degree with those strongly opposed only registering at 14 per cent. Australian Marriage Equality says comparing this to the other national telephone polls conducted over the last decade there is a clear and steady upward trend in support. The new poll shows the highest level of support and lowest levels of opposition ever recorded. Australian Marriage Equality director Rodney Croome says it's fair to say the public has made up its mind, the community debate is over, and it's time for politicians to act. “We will be using this landmark research to work with government members who have yet to declare support for reform to show them they have nothing to fear. “With Australians firmly behind marriage equality, it no longer needs to be a heated or divisive issue and can instead be one where people unite across the political spectrum to achieve reform. “It is also significant that support for marriage equality is now higher in Australia than in many other countries when they achieved the reform.” Mark Textor from Crosby|Textor says it’s rare to get such a clear-cut endorsement. “But the really exciting part for me is the long-term trend; support rising steadily from just 38 per cent when Newspoll first posed the question a decade ago,” he says. “Support for same-sex marriage has doubled since 2004, and is still rising. The seismic shift in public attitudes towards marriage equality is undeniable. Almost everyone agrees that this is the right thing to do and there is no need to have a grand fight on this issue.” Other findings: · A majority of those identifying with major religions supported marriage equality, including Catholics, Anglicans and non-Christian religions. · A majority of older Australians (aged 55 years or over) supported marriage equality. · A majority in all states and regions across Australia including Western Sydney and regional Queensland. · A majority of (heterosexual) people already in a marriage supported marriage equality. · A majority of people with children supported marriage equality. Mark Textor adds, “This poll definitively puts pay to some of the myths that married couples or those with religious beliefs are against same-sex marriage. It doesn’t devalue their marriages or faith, and instead gives everyone equal access to the rights they are accorded.” The same poll found that just over three-quarters also support a conscience vote on this issue, including 61 per cent of those opposed to same-sex marriage. “Even a majority of those opposed to marriage equality agree that their elected members should be free to make their own decision rather than follow a party line. It's time to let politicians do what the public clearly wants,” Rodney Croome says.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 15th July 2014 - 10:55am