Christian groups want a referendum on gay marriage, saying Australians will reject any change to the status quo if the question posed was a ”black and white” choice on whether to allow ”homosexuals to marry”.
As divisions emerged among the Greens and same-sex marriage advocates over a referendum, Reverend Fred Nile joined the Australian Christian lobby in calling for the matter to be decided on election day.
Rev Nile said his Christian Democratic Party had been ”pipped at the post” by Mr Windsor and had planned to publicly call for a referendum next week.
He told Fairfax Media: ”I think people should decide the issue.
”But the question has to be clear. A question like ‘are you in favour of marriage equality?’ will confuse some people. I’m in favour of marriage equality – between a husband and a wife.
”The question has to be black and white: Do you agree that homosexuals should be legally married?
”I think the majority of people would vote no if the question was clear.”
[An online poll run by The Age on the question’Should there be a referendum on same-sex marriage?’ received 11,493 responses. Of these 69% supported a referendum and 31% were opposed].
Read more:
Christian groups welcome gay marriage referendum. April 29, 2013.
By Heath Aston and Dan Harrison