AUSTRALIAN MARRIAGE EQUALITY
Media Release
Tuesday February 2nd 2016
VOTERS IN NATIONAL’S SEATS REJECT MARRIAGE EQUALITY PLEBISCITE / OPT FOR PARL’T VOTE ASAP
Voters in three National Party-held seats have said “no” to a plebiscite on marriage equality labelling it “poor value” for money and preferring a vote in parliament as soon as possible.
The poll comes as pressure mounts to dump the plebiscite proposal which was originally championed by the National Party during a Coalition meeting on the issue in August last year.
Australian Marriage Equality National Director, Rodney Croome, said:
“This poll shows regional and rural Australians want parliament to move on marriage equality soon and for the government to drop its plan for an expensive, divisive and delaying plebiscite.”
“Rural and regional Australians want government money spent on essential services like hospitals and schools, not wasted on what is basically an elaborate, expensive and pointless opinion poll.”
“The message to the National Party, and the Coalition broadly, is to abandon the plebiscite and allow its federal members a free vote so parliament can pass reform as soon as possible.”
“The political reason for the plebiscite was to smooth over divisions in the Coalition and take marriage equality off the agenda in the lead up to the election but that hasn’t worked.
“It’s time for Malcolm Turnbull to bring back marriage equality legislation, allow a free vote and get this done straight away so Australia can move on.”
The poll of 1207 residents of the electorates of Capricornia (Qld), New England (NSW) and Gippsland (Victoria) was commissioned by Australian Marriage Equality and conducted by Reachtel on January 28th.
Results at a glance
57.5% oppose a plebiscite vs 28.1% in favour
56.3% support a parliamentary vote vs 33.6% against
63.5% believe expenditure on a plebiscite is poor or very poor value
61.9% want it sooner rather than later
Australian Marriage Equality national director, Rodney Croome
