Supporters waiting outside Parliament House celebrated as the news was announced.Gay couples will be able to legally marry in Australia after a same-sex marriage bill sailed through parliament on Thursday, ending decades of political wrangling.
There were loud cheers, hugs and sustained clapping in the 150-seat lower House of Representatives when all but four MPs voted in support of marriage equality, after the upper house Senate passed the bill 43-12 last week.
“What a day for love, for equality, for respect! Australia has done it,” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told the House.
“Every Australian had their say and they said it is fair, get on with it!”
The historic reforms will commence on Saturday, when same-sex couples can a lodge a notice to marry. They will then have to wait a month before tying the knot.
Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten hailed the passing of the bill as a uniting moment for Australia, adding: “Now is the time for healing.
“A time to build, a time to love, and is now at last a time for marriage equality,” he said.
Same-sex marriage campaigners converged outside parliament in the nation’s capital Canberra to celebrate the historic occasion, which sees Australia join more than 20 other countries in recognising such unions.
“We came, we saw, and love finally conquered,” co-chair of the Equality Campaign Alex Greenwich told reporters.
“We thank all Australians for their support for saying yes, we thank all those who have campaigned for many years, for over 10 years, for fairness and equality.”
The bill was introduced in parliament by the conservative government after Australians last month endorsed the reforms in a controversial voluntary postal vote.
Nearly 80 per cent of eligible voters took part in the poll, and almost 62 per cent of the 12.7 million people who participated chose “yes” on their ballots.
It was opposed by proponents of same-sex marriage, who wanted direct legislative action and argued a poll would expose gay people and their families to hate speech.
Just under five million people voted “no”. Leading “no” campaigner Lyle Shelton said it was “deeply disappointing” day.
“The Australian people were promised that their freedom of speech, freedom of religion and parental rights would be protected in any same-sex marriage legislation, and this has not happened,” he said.
Same-sex marriage is now recognised in more than 20 countries, of which 16 are in Europe. It was most recently authorised on Tuesday by Austria’s top court by 2019 at the latest.