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People hold balloon letters reading “Love wins” in front of the White House lit in rainbow colours in Washington on Friday night.
People hold balloon letters reading ‘Love wins’ in front of the White House lit in rainbow colours in Washington on Friday night. Photograph: Mladen Antonov/AFP/Getty Images
People hold balloon letters reading ‘Love wins’ in front of the White House lit in rainbow colours in Washington on Friday night. Photograph: Mladen Antonov/AFP/Getty Images

Gay marriage back on Australian agenda after US ruling, says Christopher Pyne

This article is more than 8 years old

Liberal frontbencher says ‘fascinating’ US supreme court decision will likely spur parliament to look at same-sex marriage after the winter break

Gay marriage will likely be back on the agenda when parliament resumes after the winter break, and a vote should be held before the next election, cabinet minister Christopher Pyne says.

The US supreme court ruled on Friday that marriage equality was a nationwide right and would require all states to carry out and recognise same-sex marriage, a move Pyne described as “fascinating”.

“When we come back in spring there’s every possibility that will be back on the agenda,” he said, adding that a vote should be held this year.

Gay marriage interactive

Tony Abbott has said he hasn’t changed his mind on gay marriage and that the historic ruling is a matter for the Americans.

“What happens in the United States is obviously a matter for the United States, just as what happened in Ireland a few weeks ago is a matter for the Irish,” the prime minister told reporters in Melbourne on Saturday.

“Obviously there is a community debate going on, I have views on this subject which are pretty well known and they haven’t changed.”

Supreme court gay marriage ruling is ‘a matter for the United States’, says Tony Abbott. Link to video Guardian

The Greens say the landmark ruling in the US is the loudest call yet for marriage equality in Australia.

“We clearly have some catching up to do here,” senator Janet Rice said. “The Greens are committed to working with our cross-party colleagues to make sure this happens by the end of the year.”

Labor has also backed calls for action on gay marriage following the US supreme court’s historic ruling.

In a joint statement the Labor leader, Bill Shorten, and deputy, Tanya Plibersek, said the US upheld the truth of equality for all.

“This is a joyous day in America. In Australia, let us make it a call to action,” they said. “It’s time to make marriage equality a reality.”

Same-sex marriage ‘should not be a party political issue’. Link to video Guardian

The former prime minister Kevin Rudd said now was the time to act on marriage equality in Australia.

“Fantastic decision in support of marriage equality by US supreme court,” Rudd said on Twitter on Saturday. “Time now for Oz to act.”

The US decision to nationally legalise same-sex marriage completes an “undemocratic march” to redefine the institution and more debate is needed in Australia before it takes the same route, the Australian Christian Lobby has said.

The ACL’s managing director, Lyle Shelton, blamed “judicial activism” for the ruling, which he said put the rights of adults ahead of the rights of children, who in turn would “miss out on one of their parents.”

“A proper democratic debate where the consequences of redefining marriage are allowed to be put in the public square is the path Australia should pursue,” Shelton said.

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