This was published 5 years ago
Opinion
A year after the same-sex marriage vote, Australia is a better place
By Tim Wilson
Twelve months on from the marriage law postal survey we should celebrate it as a defining moment for a more perfect Australia. Every Australian will always know where they were on the morning of Wednesday, 15 November 2017 to hear statistician David Kalisch announce the result.
With Trevor Evans and Trent Zimmerman, as well as long-term marriage equality supporter Kelly O’Dwyer, I was holed up in Simon Birmingham’s corner suite in the ministerial wing of Parliament, isolated from the soon-to-be celebrations.
The same-sex marriage debate was about allowing people to live by their convictions.Credit: AAP
After the defeat of the plebiscite bill on the floor of the Senate in late 2016, all doors had been shut. Marriage equality was off the national agenda, stuck between supporters of change who opposed a public vote and opponents of change demanding a parliamentary one. Something had to give.
In August, Warren Entsch, Trevor Evans, Trent Zimmerman, Dean Smith and myself were dubbed the "rainbow rebels" and had taken a huge gamble. After months of trying to get the government to revisit the issue, we struggled to get traction. So we called for a parliamentary free vote and walked into a specially convened Coalition party room meeting knowing we’d likely be defeated.
We were joined in good conscience by John Alexander and Jason Wood, and walked out with a postal survey. Ultimately, the gamble paid off. We’d broken the impasse.
For the next few months Alex Greenwich, Anna Brown, Tom Snow, Christine Forster and Tiernan Brady led a campaign of thousands, mobilised a nation and clinched a decisive 61.6 per cent 'yes' victory for all Australians.
Following the announcement of the postal survey result there was relief and trepidation. Soon after, Trevor, Trent, my soon-to-be-husband Ryan and I met the Prime Minister to discuss the results before heading to the Senate to watch Senator Smith give notice of his bill that later became law.
The journey to marriage equality was a long one. In 1990 a poll was completed by the Institute of Family Studies that showed 3 per cent strongly agreed with marriages for same-sex couples. 51 per cent strongly disagreed.
The birth of a campaign for change followed the bipartisan clarification of the Marriage Act in 2004 that the intent of the law was for marriage to be a “union between a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others”.
And whether we like it or not, that was the sentiment. A Newspoll at the time showed support at only 38 per cent.
It took thousands of Australians to change the norm: volunteer campaigners, mums, dads, friends and siblings and sometimes even grandparents, too. Their stories are outlined in the recently released official history of the campaign – Yes Yes Yes: Australia’s journey to marriage equality. Many never wanted recognition, but they all played an essential role.
Some Australians continue to have their joy of success clouded by the postal survey because the Parliament never reflected the sentiments of Australians. Supporters of marriage equality never had the numbers in the Senate, and even after the postal survey only 43 of the then-serving 72 Senators voted in favour. It took the weight of a national survey to take a possible majority in the House of Representatives to shift it to have only four MPs record their names against change.
Yet the survey also turned legislative passage from a moment shared by some, to one shared by millions of Australians and recognised as one of our most historic events.
Now, one year on our country is better. Thousands of couples have married, there is more commitment and mutual responsibility, our social fabric is stronger and there is more love. The claims that a change would radically alter society have been proven false. It has only improved it.
There’s no doubt the campaign came with sacrifice for many people who saw the legitimacy of their lives and relationships on a survey form to be filled out by their fellow citizens.
It brought anxiety, and sometimes pain. But we also got the privilege to share something special.
Like many young kids who spent their teenage years coming to terms with themselves, one of the most challenging aspects of 'coming out' was the fear of marginalisation and acceptance that you couldn’t get married. It was more than acceptance that you’re a bit different. It was that the fear that there’d always be an emptiness and part of your life would forever be unfulfilled.
The privilege is being the last generation of Australians to know that fear. By living authentic lives the next generation will grow up only knowing that Australia as a foreign country. That’s worth celebrating.
Tim Wilson is the Federal Liberal Member for Goldstein, an electorate that voted 76.3 per cent ‘yes’.