Marriage equality support at record levels

Support for marriage equality is at record levels, according to a new poll, with further pressure set to be heaped on Coalition Leader Tony Abbott with support for the reform amongst Coalition voters also at a new high.

The poll comes as a new ad campaign has been produced by marriage equality advocates to emphasise that “marriage is about family, everyone’s family.”

The Galaxy poll commissioned by Australian Marriage Equality (AME) found a majority of Coalition voters (52 per cent) now support same-sex marriage laws. Just over 40 per cent of respondents also said they would be more likely to vote for the Coalition should Abbott allow a conscience vote on the issue.

Of the total 865 people surveyed, 64 per cent said they support marriage equality. It is the highest level of support since regular surveys on the issue from 2009.

Support for the issue is slightly higher among females, with 58 per cent of men backing changes to marriage laws compared with 70 per cent of women.

The poll also shows 61 per cent of married people support same-sex marriage.

AME national convener, Alex Greenwich, said the poll shows Abbott has nothing to lose and everything to gain by allowing a conscience vote for Coalition MPs when a bill is voted on in Federal Parliament later this year.

“A Coalition conscience vote won't just benefit same-sex couples and their families, it will also benefit the Coalition at the ballot box,” Greenwich said.

“Turning your back on a potential 1.3 million more voters, and breaking a Coalition tradition, in the process is at best foolish politics.”

Marriage equality is once again well in front of the headlines after Tasmania’s Government indicated over the weekend it would press on with its own state-based same-sex marriage laws should a federal bill be not passed.

The release of the Galaxy poll coincides with a new ad AME has released on YouTube.

The ad features Canberra couple, Ivan Hinton and his partner Chris, as well as their extended families.

The pair were legally wed in Canada four years ago.

Hinton said he wanted to be in the ad to show that his family was just like everyone else’s.

“Marriage is a unique way to strengthen family bonds and to bring two families together, and I don’t understand why some people want to deny this to me, my husband and our families,” Hinton said.

“I love my family, I love my husband and I want our families to be treated the same as other families.”

Hinton’s mother, Dianne Hinton, who is incidentally president of PFLAG Capital Region said it was unfair for her son and Chris to be denied the opportunity to have their marriage recognised just because of their orientation. 

“Surely people can see that it’s just discrimination based on old prejudices. It’s as simple as that,” she said.

“There’s nothing to be feared by marriage equality. The only effect of enabling all Australians to access marriage will be the very real, positive and personal impacts on the lives of our sons, daughters and our families to live without exclusion.”