A win for equality … now it’s time for pass marriage equality

What a win! The National Union of Students (NUS) celebrates today’s historic win for equality: 61.6 per cent of Australians voted to support changing the law to allow marriage equality.

NUS has thrown itself into the campaign to win a ‘yes’ vote over the last few months, setting up stalls on campuses, hosting speak-outs, building demonstrations—the largest for LGBTI rights that this country has ever seen—and attending and speaking at them. We’ve been door-knocking and phone-banking and helped to build the biggest activist campaign that we could.

Even before this postal survey, NUS has been an active supporter of marriage equality, hosting demonstrations and public rallies even when the demand wasn’t popular. NUS stands proudly in the tradition of the hardworking activists who over the last 13 years who have fought to make marriage equality a reality.

‘For once I agree with Lyle Shelton,’ says Chris di Pasquale, NUS National LGBTI Officer. ‘He described the yes campaign as ‘relentless’ and it’s true: we haven’t stopped, we’ve been a thorn in the side of the politicians who would have rather swept the issue under the rug and made it so that it was an issue couldn’t ignore.’

NUS commends the work of student activists who, as part of the NUS campaign, helped enrol over 65,000 young people between 18 and 24 to vote.

‘Reaching out to young people paid off: young people voted close to 80 per cent for marriage equality, the highest bracket being those between 18 and 19,’ said di Pasquale.

‘But the fight for equality is not over,’ said di Pasquale. ‘The bigots in the Liberal Party have been cowed but not silenced. They’re trying to push their so-called marriage equality bill, which isn’t an equality bill at all. It’s about watering down any protections that LGBTI people have from discrimination as a way of saving face and keeping their supporters on side. It’s pathetic.’

‘The fight now is to make sure Parliament registers the support from the people for equality. Parliament has to pass marriage equality now. We’ve waited far too long and we’re getting impatient.’
Sophie Johnston National President | National Union of Students