The Australian Senate on Thursday rejected a bill which would have legalized gay marriage in the country.
The Senate voted 41 to 26 against the measure. Yesterday, the House of Representatives defeated the measure with a 98 to 42 vote.
Liberal Senator Sue Boyce broke ranks with her party during debate on the bill.
“Gay people are just people,” she said.
“There are good gays and bad gays; rich gays and poor gays; gays who want to get married and gays who don’t; gay who like footy and gays who don’t; gays who want children and those who don’t.”
“I support the right of all religions to decide, as they can and do right now, the criteria for solemnizing marriages in their churches and temples,” she added.
Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi stirred controversy with the suggestion that gay nuptials could lead to calls for the legalization of bestiality. He was quickly released from his post as a shadow parliamentary secretary.
Gay marriage advocates said they would turn their attention to the states. At least two Australian states – Tasmania and South Australia – in recent months have said they will consider the issue.
“We will have loving and committed same-sex couples married on Australian soil this year,” Alex Greenwich of Australian Marriage Equality told reporters after the vote.
by On Top Magazine Staff
Source – On Top Magazine
