Media Release
Monday February 13th 2017
 
 
NEW GALAXY POLL ON MARRIAGE EQUALITY:
- VOTERS WANT TURNBULL TO DROP PLEBISCITE AND HAVE FREE VOTE INSTEAD
- AUSTRALIANS SO "NO" TO ALLOWING CELEBRANTS / BUSINESSES TO TURN AWAY SAME-SEX COUPLES
 
New polling shows 71% Australians, including 64% of Liberal voters, will look more favourably on the Turnbull Government if it allows a free vote on marriage equality instead of a plebiscite.
 
The polling from Galaxy Research, also shows Australians are firmly against any new laws that would allow civil celebrants or businesses to refuse their services to marrying same-sex couples on the basis of the service provider's religious or personal beliefs.
 
The poll coincides with the proposed date for a plebiscite (Saturday, Feb 11th) and comes ahead of a Senate inquiry report into a proposed law allowing refusal of wedding services to same-sex couples, due to be released this week.
 
Long-time marriage equality advocate and just.equal spokesperson, Rodney Croome said,
 
"This poll shows Australians want marriage equality, they want it via a free vote in Parliament and they want it to be truly equal without caveats entrenching further discrimination."
 
"The message to Malcolm Turnbull is that a he will win back support from potential Liberal voters at the next election by dropping the plebiscite policy and passing marriage equality on a free vote."
 
"The poll also sends a clear message that in the eyes of most Australians equal means equal and discrimination against same-sex couples in the provision of wedding services should not be allowed."
 
"This week we will be in Parliament alerting law-makers to the result of this poll, as well as earlier research showing the LGBTI community will not accept marriage equality legislation that is compromised by refusal-of-service provisions."
 
The poll was commissioned by Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. National spokesperson, Shelley Argent, said,
 
"This increases the pressure on Malcolm Turnbull to do the right thing and allow a free vote so our sons and daughters can be treated equally under the law."
 
"Passing marriage equality asap will be a win for our children, a win for Malcolm Turnbull and a win for Australia." 
 
"Malcolm Turnbull needs to heed the message that Australians remain firmly against a plebiscite and want marriage equality dealt with in Parliament by a free vote."
 
"A plebiscite would have been a platform for hate against LGBTI people and the sooner the Government admits the idea has had its day the better."
 
The poll found two thirds of voters support marriage equality, with almost half strongly supporting it.
 
It also found 59% support for a free vote among voters who lean to the Liberals and 60% support amongst those who lean to the Nationals.
 
45% of respondents opposed laws allowing refusal of service in general with 35% in favour, but this jumped to 65% against and only 17% in favour when respondents were asked about laws that would specifically target same-sex couples.
 
A recently-released survey of 6342 LGBTI Australians found around 90% oppose proposals to allow marrying same-sex couples to be refused wedding services and would rather wait for marriage equality than accept refusal-of-service provisions as a trade off.  
 
Key Galaxy results:
  • 66% of Australians belief same-sex couples should be allowed to marry, 46% strongly
  • 66% support a free vote on the issue including 59% of voters who lean to the Liberals and 60% who lean to the Nationals
  • 71% would look more favourably on the Government if it allowed a free vote on same-sex marriage instead of a plebiscite, including 64% of voters who lean to the Liberals
  • 45% oppose exemptions allowing civil celebrants and businesses to refuse services to customers based on religious belief or personal beliefs (35% in favour)
  • 65% oppose such exemptions if they are specific to same-sex couples (17% in favour)
A full report of the Galaxy poll is attached.
 
For more information contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668 or Shelley Argent on 0409 363 335.