The latest independent poll commissioned by The Equality Campaign reveals the majority of Australians who are members of the largest religious groups across the nation intend to vote ‘YES’ in support of marriage equality.
The polling carried out by Newgate Research showed 66% of Catholic Australians would vote yes, along with 67% of Australians from non-Christian religions and 59% of Australians from a diverse group of Christian churches including Uniting, Anglican and Church of England.
The poll also revealed 79% of non-religious Australians surveyed said they would vote ‘YES’ to allowing same sex couples to marry.
Tiernan Brady, Executive Director of The Equality Campaign and a practicing Catholic, said he’s pleased to see continued high levels of support for marriage equality from people of many faiths across Australia.
“It is clear that the majority of Catholics across the nation strongly back equality. The upper management of the Church isn’t listening to the flock who have made up their minds on marriage equality because it’s about their friends, family members and neighbours.
“This is about civil marriage, not religious marriage. Allowing lesbian and gay couples to have access to civil marriage will not interfere in any way with any religious sacrament and nor should it,” he said.
“Put simply, marriage equality is about fairness and equality. All Australians should be treated equally under the law and that includes being able to marry the person they love,” Tiernan Brady said.
Earlier this month more than 500 religious leaders sent an open letter to the Prime Minister and the Government in support of marriage equality as a matter of social justice.
It stated, “As people of faith, we understand that marriage is based on the values of love and commitment and we support civil marriage equality, not despite, but because of our faith and values.”
“Despite noisy opposition from some Church leaders and lobbyists, the majority of Christians support civil marriage equality in Australia. When the law changes, Christian churches will be free to make their theological decisions about whom they will marry, but all couples should be treated equally under civil law. My own congregation is looking forward to the day when we both legally marry, and bless the marriages, of two people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.” Reverend Doctor Margaret Mayman Minister of Pitt Street Sydney Uniting Church
“My Christian faith requires me to work towards justice for all people and the primacy of love in my faith and my life means that I honour all people’s relationships and right to marry.” Rev Carolyn Francis, Collins St Baptist Church, Melbourne
“I see marriage equality as something I support because of my faith, it’s a matter of justice and if we are really interested in humans flourishing then we should be enabling the form human expression which is being married to the person you love.” Rev Dr Peter Catt, Dean Anglican Cathedral, Brisbane
Clint McGilvray
