Australia may hold postal vote on same-sex marriage

Canberra Aug 8 (IANS) Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced on Tuesday that if his proposal to hold a plebiscite to decide on legalising same-sex marriage is rejected again by the Senate he will put it to a non-binding postal vote.

Turnbull s promise of a plebiscite to decide on same-sex marriages in 2016 was blocked by the Senate where the conservative ruling coalition is in a minority reports Efe news.

"We will be presenting it (the plebiscite) to the Senate again this week but if that bill is rejected by the Senate again then we will hold a postal vote " Turnbull said at a press conference here.

The Prime Minister added if the proposal was approved by the Senate the government will facilitate a private member s bill and the plebiscite will be held on November 25.

However if it is rejected the government will send out the ballots for a voluntary postal vote on September 12 with a submission deadline of November 7.

If the vote in either of the two supports legalising same-sex marriages the country s marriage law will have to be amended before December 7 when the last two-week Parliament session will end.

A latest survey shows that 72 per cent of Australians are in favour of same-sex marriages although conservative Christian groups oppose this.

--IANS
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