Australia's most influential Catholic
cleric has claimed that a “yes” vote for same-sex marriage has no
real majority.
The Australian government spent $122
million on surveying Australian attitudes on marriage equality.
Earlier this month, the government announced the results of its
two-month postal survey. An overwhelming majority (61.6%) of
respondents voted “yes” to a change in the law. The day after
the results were announced, a marriage equality bill was introduced
in the Australian Senate.
(Related: Australian
Senator introduces gay marriage bill.)
Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher
claimed that because 20 percent of eligible Australians “abstained
altogether,” actual support for marriage equality is only about 49
percent.
“While people are talking about
overwhelming support, it's still not clear that it is overwhelming,”
Fisher
said.
“What is clear is we are very divided
over this issue and probably many others. The consensus in Australia
is somewhat fractured.”
Fisher called on lawmakers to protect
the views of religious organizations opposed to such unions.
Clint McGilvray, spokesman for the
Equality Campaign, called the bishop's comments “disappointing,”
adding that under his logic only 30.5 percent of Australians voted
“no.”
“It is disappointing that Bishop
Fisher is the only No case leader ungraciously refusing to accept the
result,” McGilvray said.