Encouraged by polling and strong support from with all parties, equality advocates will increase their campaigning in South Australia for same-sex marriage.
Australian Marriage Equality (AME) have identified four undecided ALP lower house members, whose support will be key in helping reform happen, those being: Kate Ellis (Adelaide), Nick Champion (Wakefield), Amanda Rishworth (Kingston) and Tony Zappia (Makin).
AME is also hopeful that a number of key undecided Senators will join the majority of Australians in supporting reform and they will work to win over Nick Xenophon (Independent), Mary Jo Fisher (Liberal) and Sean Edwards (Liberal).
AME National Convener, Alex Greenwich:
“These South Australian politicians have a place in the history books waiting for them. If they listen to their State and vote accordingly they will be remembered as the MPs who helped achieve this historic reform”.
A national poll conducted by Galaxy in February found that South Australia had the highest support for Marriage Equality in country, with 67% of South Australian’s surveyed supporting the reform.
South Australia is also home to four of Federal Parliament’s most high profile supporters of marriage equality: Senator Penny Wong (ALP), Minister Mark Butler (ALP) Senator Simon Birmingham (Liberal Party) and Senator Sarah Hanson-Young (Greens).
The State Leaders of both the Labor Party (Premier Jay Weatherill) and Liberal Party (Opposition leader Isobel Redmond) are also public supporters of marriage equality. The South Australia Parliament will also be home to the first Australian Parliamentarian in a same-sex marriage, when Communities Minister Ian Hunter marries his partner in Spain later this year. (Details here).
Australian Marriage Equality National Convener Alex Greenwich has welcomed South Australia’s strong support:
“South Australia has some of the strongest public and political support for marriage equality in Australia,”
“The State prides itself on being tolerant and accepting, and South Australians voters want their state’s gay and lesbian population to treated equally by the Marriage Act”.
Mr Greenwichsaid his organisation would increase efforts to educate and engage with South Australia’s representatives across the political spectrum:
“We look forward to working with South Australia’s State & Federal representatives and helping them to represent their state’s strong support for reform in parliament”.
AME and Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) will hold a forum this Friday to give supporters a campaign update and help them to further contribute to making marriage equality happen. The forum will be held from 6pm to 8pm at the Prince Albert Hotel on Wright Street (Further details here) and will include presentations from national equality campaigners Alex Greenwich and Shelley Argent.
For Further information contact Alex Greenwich on 0421 316 335