2015/12: Should Australia legalise same-sex marriage?





Introduction to the media issue

Video clip at right:
On June 1, 2015, CNN ran a report on the leader of the Opposition in Australia, Bill Shorten, introducing a private members bill to legalise same-sex marriage. If you cannot see this clip, it will be because video is blocked by your network. To view the clip, access from home or from a public library, or from another network which allows viewing of video clips.


What they said...
'Far from being unusual in the international community for not supporting "same-sex marriage", Australia's definition of marriage as a union of a man and a woman is consistent with that of the vast majority of world nations, who represent over 91 per cent of the global population'
Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott

'All of the English-speaking countries that we are closest to, Britain, Ireland, Canada, the United States, New Zealand, South Africa, they all allow gay marriage'
Federal Communications Minister, Malcolm Turnbull

The issue at a glance
On June 26, 2015, the United States Supreme Court ruled that U.S. states cannot ban same-sex marriage. This makes the United States the 21st country to legalize same-sex marriage worldwide.
One month before, on May 22, 2015, the Republic of Ireland voted via referendum to extend civil marriage rights to same-sex couples.
These developments have encouraged supporters of same-sex marriage in Australia to increase their pressure on the national legislature to make similar changes in this country.