Federal Member for Perth Tim Hammond says marriage equality needs to be ‘reality as soon as possible’

LABOR Federal Member for Perth Tim Hammond said marriage equality needed to be a “reality as soon as possible”.

His comments came after the same sex marriage survey results were announced yesterday, which came back a resounding ‘yes’.

In WA, 63.7 per cent of respondents voted yes, following 74 per cent in the ACT and 64.9 per cent in Victoria.

The Federal electorate of Curtin saw the strongest yes vote in WA with 72.2 per cent, while Burt had the lowest, with 57 per cent voting yes and 43 per cent voting no.

Mr Hammond said “it’s time for us get this done”.

“Federal Labor have already said we will back-in the Dean Smith bill,” he said.

“Senator Dean Smith’s bill has been through a rigorous committee process already and has the endorsement of the Federal Labor Caucus; it’s time for us get this done and make marriage equality a reality as soon as possible.”

Mr Hammond called yesterday an historic day for Australia and marked a new era of equality and fairness.

“I am over the moon that the results were so resoundingly in favour of marriage equality,” he said,

Federal member for Stirling Michael Keenan said he would vote yes in line with his electorate, while ensuring religious freedoms were respected.

Members of parliament are not bound by the result of the survey, but the government has promised to allow MPs a conscience vote on a same-sex marriage bill.

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