Australians not game for same-sex marriage

As the debate over same-sex marriage heats up, a Guardian Essential poll released on Tuesday shows support for changing the law has dropped to 55 per cent in the past two weeks, down from 59 per cent. 

The number of survey respondents who say they are opposed to gay marriage has risen to 34 per cent, up 3 per cent in a fortnight. The ‘Yes’ campaign looks set to succeed, despite the dip in support, the latest poll involving 1808 people, showed 71 per cent of respondents who supported gay marriage said they would definitely vote, compared to 60 per cent of those who were opposed. 

And among respondents who had already voted, 59 per cent supported same-sex marriage. The campaigns for and against same-sex marriage will continue for another seven and a half weeks until voting officially closes on November 7.  

Marriage equality has attracted popular support in recent years, but such unions are yet to be legalised in the country amid political wrangling. In a bid to resolve the issue, the conservative government moved to hold a postal ballot after its preferred option of a national referendum was twice rejected by the upper house. 

“If a majority votes yes, then we will ensure a… bill is presented to the parliament which will legalise same-sex marriage,” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had said told those conservative Liberal and National politicians who support the “yes” campaign.  

Turnbull, a political moderate who supports marriage equality, is opposed by some in his own Liberal-National governing coalition. The result of the postal survey will be announced at 11.30am on November 15.