Australian MP’s to present petition opposing same sex marriages

 Australian MP’s to present petition opposing same sex marriages Canberra, August 24 : Federal lawmakers in Australia will present a petition to the parliament today opposing gay marriages. Lawmakers are divided on the issue of same sex marriage, with the Greens claiming nine in ten people support it, but Liberal and some Labour politicians claim only a minority of Australians are in favour of the idea.

Greens MP Adam Bandt claimed a survey of his electorate of Melbourne returned just one in 475 respondents as being opposed to same sex marriage, News. com. au reports. Bandt, who successfully passed a motion in the House of Representatives in November last year requiring MPs to consult their constituents about same sex marriage, said a number of opinion polls showed an ‘overwhelming majority’ of Australians supported ‘ending discrimination’.

“It highlighted the point that everyone had a brother, or a sister, or a son, or a daughter, or a relative, or a friend who was affected in some way by the discrimination that existed in Australian law,” Bandt was quoted, as saying. “Why should not someone marry the person they love? I have great confidence that we will achieve full equality in the life of this Parliament," he added.

The Greens have a bill before parliament, which aims to overturn the gay marriage ban. Up to 20 MPs are expected to report to parliament today, what their communities think of same sex marriage. (ANI)