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Tuesday, November 14, 2017 6:51:58 PM
Australia Votes ‘Yes’ on Same-Sex Marriage, Clearing Path for Legalization
[Correction: The participation number in my previous was incorrectly stated as 79.3%. It was 79.5%.]
By ADAM BAIDAWI and DAMIEN CAVE NOV. 14, 2017
Celebrations in Melbourne after Australians on Wednesday to allow same-sex marriage.
Credit Scott Barbour/Getty Images
MELBOURNE, Australia — A solid majority of Australians voted in favor of same-sex marriage in a historic survey that, while not binding, paves the way for Parliament to legally recognize the unions of gay and lesbian couples.
Of 12.7 million Australians who took part in the survey, 61.6 percent voted yes and 38.4 percent voted no, officials announced on Wednesday morning. Participation was high, with 79.5 percent of voting-age Australians taking part.
[...]
In 2015, Ireland was the first country to legalize same-sex marriage by referendum, but the same year, voters in Slovenia rejected a law legalizing such unions.
A “yes” rally in Sydney, Australia, in September. Polls had consistently indicated that Australians would
vote in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage. Credit Saeed Khan/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
In the United States, numerous states outlawed such marriage in referendums; in 2012, Maine, Maryland and Washington became the first states to legalize same-sex marriage by referendum. The United States Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage across the nation in 2015.
The survey in Australia was controversial, not only because it placed such a thorny issue at the whims of direct democracy but also because of its cost.
[...]
At least seven members of Australia’s Parliament have publicly committed to voting against any bill to legalize same-sex marriage, according to a report from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Most lawmakers, however, said they would support such a bill.
“There’s no denying that this has been tough for many people. This has been a campaign which has gone on for more than 10 years,” said Mr. Greenwich, the same-sex marriage advocate. “This result is a reflection of the leadership that’s been shown by everyday Australians during this campaign. It shows that Australians truly did have the opportunity to shape our nation as a fairer and more equal place.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/14/world/australia/yes-same-sex-marriage-gay.html?_r=0
[Correction: The participation number in my previous was incorrectly stated as 79.3%. It was 79.5%.]
By ADAM BAIDAWI and DAMIEN CAVE NOV. 14, 2017
Celebrations in Melbourne after Australians on Wednesday to allow same-sex marriage.
Credit Scott Barbour/Getty Images
MELBOURNE, Australia — A solid majority of Australians voted in favor of same-sex marriage in a historic survey that, while not binding, paves the way for Parliament to legally recognize the unions of gay and lesbian couples.
Of 12.7 million Australians who took part in the survey, 61.6 percent voted yes and 38.4 percent voted no, officials announced on Wednesday morning. Participation was high, with 79.5 percent of voting-age Australians taking part.
[...]
In 2015, Ireland was the first country to legalize same-sex marriage by referendum, but the same year, voters in Slovenia rejected a law legalizing such unions.
A “yes” rally in Sydney, Australia, in September. Polls had consistently indicated that Australians would
vote in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage. Credit Saeed Khan/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
In the United States, numerous states outlawed such marriage in referendums; in 2012, Maine, Maryland and Washington became the first states to legalize same-sex marriage by referendum. The United States Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage across the nation in 2015.
The survey in Australia was controversial, not only because it placed such a thorny issue at the whims of direct democracy but also because of its cost.
[...]
At least seven members of Australia’s Parliament have publicly committed to voting against any bill to legalize same-sex marriage, according to a report from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Most lawmakers, however, said they would support such a bill.
“There’s no denying that this has been tough for many people. This has been a campaign which has gone on for more than 10 years,” said Mr. Greenwich, the same-sex marriage advocate. “This result is a reflection of the leadership that’s been shown by everyday Australians during this campaign. It shows that Australians truly did have the opportunity to shape our nation as a fairer and more equal place.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/14/world/australia/yes-same-sex-marriage-gay.html?_r=0
It was Plato who said, “He, O men, is the wisest, who like Socrates, knows that his wisdom is in truth worth nothing”
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