Australian Parliament says yes to same-sex marriage in landslide vote

After years of fierce public debate, the Australian Parliament passed the Bill legalising same-sex marriage onThursday, 7 December.

The House of Representatives along with the Senate voted in favour of the law that will change the existing definition of marriage in Australia. The Bill was opposed by only four members.

As opposed to a union between a man and a woman, the same-sex marriage bill recognises marriage as simply “a union between two people”. 

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, a long-time supporter of same-sex marriage was ecstatic and said this was a key moment in Australian social reform. “What a day, what a day for love, for equality, for respect,” he said. “It is time for more marriages, more equality, more love.”

Additionally, the passing of the same-sex marriage law will be a strategic political win for Turnbull, who has been strongly opposed by his predecessor Tony Abbott, a staunch supporter of conventional marriage.

With the law expected to come into place in a month’s time from now, Australia will soon become the 24th country to make way for same-sex marriage, according to Pew Research.