Canberra, December 07 (Gurpuneet Sidhu): In the 150-seat lower House of Representatives four MPs voted in support of marriage equality, after the upper house Senate passed the bill 43-12 last week. Gay couples will now be able to legally marry in Australia.
“What a day for love, for equality, for respect! Australia has done it,” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told the House. “Every Australian had their say and they said it is fair, get on with it!”
Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten hailed the passing of the bill as a uniting moment for Australia, adding: “Now is the time for healing”.
“A time to build, a time to love, and is now at last a time for marriage equality,” he said.
Same-sex marriage campaigners converged outside parliament in the nation’s capital Canberra to celebrate the historic occasion, which sees Australia join more than 20 other countries in recognising such unions.
The historic bill passed just before 6pm today after MPs voted to knock back a series of last-minute changes to the legislation.
MPs and members of the public began to spontaneously sing ‘I Am Australian’ after the vote. There were also tears and hugs on the floor of parliament.
