Same Sex Marriage - Where to from here for Australia?

With France, the UK and now New Zealand affirming the legitimacy of gay marriage, it remains to be seen how fast Australia will react to the continuing cultural shift in the legitimacy of marriage laws.

As stated in an article in the Sydney Morning Herald, it has taken 40 years to reach this threshold in Australia, a comparatively small amount of time compared to other cultural fights like women's suffrage and acknowledging Aboriginal people as citizens.

Gay sex itself was illegal in Victoria until 1980. By 2004, a Newspoll found 38 per cent of Australians supported gay marriage, with 44 per cent against. This week, Essential Media found 54 per cent in support with 33 per cent opposed. Progressive voters have always supported gay marriage more than conservatives, but the gap is narrowing.

But, the question remains, where to from here for Australian marriage laws?

For the first time, Tony Abbott has expressed consent to the idea of a conscience vote for the Liberal Party regarding the issue of gay marriage and it seems to be around a cultural shift in the view of gay marriage - is it a "progressive social reform celebrating alternative ways of living and loving, or a conservative affirmation of the primacy of the family unit?"

All bills introduced into the Federal parliament have failed at second reading debate so far however, with a Federal election in September, a change of heart may be forthcoming.

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