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Australian parliament rejects bill for gay marriage vote Australia opposition Labor party said on Tuesday it would not support a national vote dealing another potential blow to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Australia's center-right coalition government introduced legislation to parliament last month to hold a public vote in February 2017 on whether to legalize same-sex unions. The bill required the support of some opposition lawmakers because Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's Liberal-National coalition has only a one-vote majority in the lower house of parliament and does not have a majority in the upper house. The rejection is a blow to Turnbull who has seen his popularity wane amid frustration that he has failed to live up to his progressive reputation. Same-sex marriage is supported by 61 percent of Australians a Gallop poll in August found and Turnbull's inability to deliver the legislation could further damage his support. Several independent MPs had already ruled out supporting the national plebiscite on same-sex marriage. The rejection by the center-left Labor party which wants same-sex marriages legalized by parliament ended any hope the plebiscite bill could pass. Advocates of same-sex marriage are also concerned public debate around the vote would prove harmful sparking homophobic rhetoric against same-sex unions. Turnbull has said that should the legislation proposing a national vote be rejected the issue of same-sex marriage would not be reintroduced into parliament until after the next election which is due in or before November 2019. World
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Source by georgeoyakhire
