- Fairness, benefits of marriage, absence of harm & inevitability are key to high support.
- Majority reject civil unions & Christian Lobby’s concerns.
An analysis by prominent research company, Crosby/Textor, of the reasons why a record number of Australians support marriage equality has found people believe same-sex couples are discriminated against and should have the benefits of marriage while most people agree that it is inevitable so “why not do it now.”
Australians also reject the idea that the recognition of de facto relationships and civil unions are enough, as well as Christian Lobby concern about marriage being demeaned and religious freedoms infringed.
On Tuesday, Crosby/Textor, which is the Liberal Party’s own national pollster, released data showing a record 72% of Australians support marriage equality. Yesterday, a Newspoll confirmed the Crosby/Textor result with a figure of 68% support.
Australian Marriage Equality national director, Rodney Croome, said,
“We know from both the Crosby/Textor poll and the Newspoll that support for marriage equality is at a historic high in Australia.”
“What the Crosby/Textor research also shows is why it’s rising.”
“It’s clear that Australians see the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage as discrimination and believe marriage equality is a matter of fairness. There is also a strong view that same-sex couples should be able to share in the benefits of marriage and that, given no-one is hurt by this reform, it should be passed,” Mr Croome said.
“What we’re seeing here is the accumulated effect of many conversations over many years between gay Australians and our family members, friends and work colleagues, about why marriage equality matters.”
“It’s also clear from the research that the majority of Australians don’t accept civil unions as a substitute for marriage equality and firmly reject the Australian Christian Lobby’s baseless rhetoric marriage being demeaned, religious freedom infringed and other so-called ‘unintended consequences’ of marriage equality.”
For more information about why Australians support marriage equality, see below.
For a news report on the findings click here.
For more results from the Crosby/Textor research, click here or go to http://ymlp264.net/zn0eRb
For further comment contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668 or Ivan Hinton on 0419 124 826.
Author: Rodney Croome
Publication: AME Media Release
Date: 17 July 2014
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STATISTICS ON WHY AUSTRALIANS SUPPORT MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN RECORD NUMBERS
The Crosby Textor poll found that 80 per cent agreed that ‘all Australians should be treated equally under the law, and that includes being able to marry’.
It found that 70 per cent agreed that ‘excluding same-ex couples from marriage fosters discrimination’.
And 69 per cent disagreed that ‘marriage is only meant to be between a man and a woman, so this is wrong.’
78 per cent agreed that ‘marriage is a beneficial institution and should be accessible to everyone’ and 74 per cent agreed that ‘marriage solidifies and stabilises a relationship, and everyone should have access to that.’
The poll found that 63 per cent disagreed that with the statement that “the recognition of de facto relationships and civil unions is enough; we don’t need this too”.
Those polled were also of the strong belief that allowing same-sex couples to marry would have no consequences on others who were not gay. This flies in the face of the campaign run by anti gay marriage advocates that heterosexual unions would be weakened by gay people being given the right to marry.
Around 78 per cent agreed that ‘if it doesn’t hurt anyone else, gay couples should be able to do what makes them happy, including marry.’
And 73 per cent disagreed that ‘same-sex marriages could devalue traditional marriages’.
The poll found 72 per cent disagreed that ‘allowing same-sex marriage will lead to some people losing their religious freedoms’.
An interesting finding was that people now believed marriage equality is inevitable and that delaying it was therefore a waste of time. Around 69 per cent agreed that ‘this is going to happen sometime, so it may as well be now so that same-sex couples can get the benefits’.
And 63 per cent agreed that ‘Australia is behind other countries by not allowing same-sex couples to marry’.