Lutana officially a marriage equality suburb

Senators join advocates today to say “no plebiscite”

• Door-knocking finds 68% support for marriage equality in Lutana
• Banner to be unveiled at 12.30 today outside Parliament showing high support across six Hobart suburbs
• Senators to join marriage equality supporters today in call for parliamentary vote now, no plebiscite
• Photos and interviews available at 12.30pm today, Parliament Lawns

Tasmanians United for Marriage Equality (TUME) will today be joined by Tasmania’s most senior ALP senator, Carol Brown, and by Australians Greens’ Senator, Nick McKim, in calling for a parliamentary vote on marriage equality rather than the proposed plebiscite. The group will unveil a large banner that reads Tasmanians want marriage equality now, not a $175 million opinion poll.

The support of the ALP and Australian Greens comes as TUME reveals the results of a door-knock of the suburb of Lutana. The door-knock of every house in Lutana over the last three months found 68% support for marriage equality.

Long-time marriage equality advocate, Rodney Croome, said:

I congratulate all the TUME door-knockers for proving beyond doubt that Tasmanians overwhelmingly support marriage equality. There is no need to waste $175 million on a divisive, non-binding plebiscite when we already know that Tasmanians strongly back marriage equality. It’s time for politicians to do their job and pass this long overdue reform.

Tasmanians United for Marriage Equality have previously door knocked five other Hobart suburbs and Southern Tasmanian towns: Battery Point (72% support) Taroona (71% support), Midway Point (67% support), Opossum Bay (73% support) and the Glebe (83% support). The marriage equality campaigner who co-ordinated the door-to-door petition, Benedict Bartl, said,

The strong result from Lutana once again demonstrates that Tasmanians want marriage equality now. A simple show of hands in both Houses of the Federal Parliament is all that it should take to put this issue to rest and end the discrimination perpetrated against same-sex couples who want to marry.

Where: Parliament Lawns
When: 12:30p.m. Thursday 6th October 2016

Who: Senators Carol Brown and Nick McKim, Rodney Croome, Ben Bartl, marriage equality supporters
Rodney Croome, Benedict Bartl