3/4 of Australians oppose plebiscite

Over 3/4 of Australians oppose a plebiscite on their right to marry, a new survey has found. The latest poll from a group campaigning against the government's decision to hold plebiscite shows 36% of respondents support a popular vote on same-sex marriage when asked to consider their own right to marry.

The Galaxy survey of 1000 Australians, commissioned by Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, found 76 per cent of respondents would not be happy if they needed popular support before getting married. 

Long-time same-sex marriage advocate Rodney Croome said: "It's clear that when everyday Australians are encouraged to walk in the shoes of LGBTIQ people, they reject a plebiscite."

Asked "would you be happy if you had to rely on millions of Australians to provide their approval through a national vote before you could get married", 13 per cent of respondents said they would be happy to rely on a popular vote while 11 per cent said they did not know.

When reminded the public may be asked to vote in a national plebiscite on whether or not same-sex couples should be allowed to get married in Australia, 36 per cent of respondents said they supported a plebiscite, compared with 35 per cent who are opposed and 29 per cent who said they were undecided. 

In July, 48 per cent of Australians supported a plebiscite on same-sex marriage, compared with 35 per cent who were opposed. 

Pollsters say the shift can be attributed in part to questions about wide marriage rights in the survey.

Read the full article at: smh.com.au/federal-politics