Same-sex marriage vote to be held in Australia

Australia’s opposition leader cited Ireland’s referendum on gay marriage for his change of stance on the subject, which will be a key issue in this weekend’s elections.

The centre-left Labor Party opposes the conservative government’s plan to hold a plebiscite this year to allow the public a direct say on whether Australia should give legal recognition to same-sex marriage.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten confirmed a newspaper report, days before the election, that he had told Christian church leaders in 2013 that he supported holding such a plebiscite.