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4 August 2008 - Government must lead, not follow |
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The Gay & Lesbian Rights Lobby has made a strong call for leadership on marriage equality after the GLRL Convenors addressed the Same-Sex Marriage National Day of Action yesterday. The GLRL’s comments come after openly lesbian MP, Senator Penny Wong, said that the broader community did not support same-sex marriage which justified the ALP’s policy on marriage as only between a man and a woman.
“The view that the community does not support marriage equality for same-sex couples is wrong” said GLRL Co-Convenor Peter Johnson, “A Galaxy poll conducted in the lead up to last year’s federal election found that 54% of Australians support same-sex marriage.”
The level of support for marriage equality in the community is similar to the levels of support found for the apology to Indigenous Australians, in a poll taken before the apology was made .Another poll taken after the apology showed support had sharply increased.
“There is a clear need for leadership on marriage equality. Where governments lead and inject a dose of fairness into public debate, they bring the broader Australian community with them. We saw that in the debate on the Indigenous apology and we can see that again in the debate about marriage equality.”
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