Australia’s Gay-Marriage Vote Is Divisive, Even for Gay-Marriage Backers<br />Professor Gerber said she believed it showed how "out of step" the government was with the wishes of the Australian people, "because the public overwhelmingly in opinion<br />polls support marriage equality." "Really, this plebiscite is no more than a glorified opinion poll — a 122-million-dollar opinion poll," Professor Gerber said.<br />Turnbull said that We will not facilitate the introduction of a private members bill on<br />this matter unless the Australian people have given their support through a ‘yes’ vote,<br />I think they should abandon it." Professor Gerber, at Monash, said the leader of the election campaign for same-sex marriage in Ireland came to Australia a few months ago<br />and strongly discouraged holding a vote in Australia.<br />Same-sex marriage is a highly politicized issue in the country,<br />and experts said the postal vote was a highly unusual, perhaps unique, path for Australia to pursue.<br />10, 2017<br />SYDNEY, Australia — Polls show broad public support for same-sex marriage.<br />The decision to let the Australian Bureau of Statistics handle the postal vote instead of the Australian Electoral<br />Commission has also mystified some politicians, who say the bureau has never been asked to do anything like it.
