Endorsements in the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey explained

A number of politicians, public figures, media outlets, businesses and other organisations endorsed voting either in favour or against same-sex marriage during the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey.

"Yes" campaign

Lead lobby groups

• Australian Marriage Equality – The leading lobby group for same-sex marriage in Australia, running under the banner of the Equality Campaign, announced at a press conference on 11 August that, if the legal challenge to the survey is unsuccessful, "we have a duty to every Aussie who supports fairness and equality to try to win it. We are in this to win this".^[1]
• GetUp! – The left-leaning activist group announced it would "engage in a campaign to win a Yes result...to deliver...the fairer and more equal country we believe in".^[2]

Politicians

Federal Politicians

Former Federal Politicians

State and Territory Politicians

International

Religious groups

Religious groups who advocate a "yes" vote include:

• Australian Council of Hindu Clergy^[3]
• Buddhism Australia^[4]
• Pitt Street Uniting Church^[5]
• Quakers Australia^[6]
• Rabbinic Council of the Union for Progressive Judaism
• St Michael's Uniting Church, Melbourne^[7]

Denomination leaders who advocate a "yes" vote include:

• Frank Brennan, Catholic priest^[8]
• Kay Goldsworthy, the Anglican Archbishop of Perth^[9]

Prior to the postal survey, over 500 Australian faith leaders signed a joint letter asking the Australian Government to enact same-sex marriage. Leaders signing were Anglican, Catholic, Uniting Church, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish and Muslim.^{[10] [11]}

Others

• Fitzy and Wippa, radio show
• Kath and Kim, television comedy^[12]
• Kinky Boots Australia, musical^[13]
• RuPaul's Drag Race, US reality competition series
• Wicked Australia & NZ, musical^[14]
• Will & Grace, US sitcom^[15]

Rallies

Some of the "largest LGBTI demonstrations in Australian history" occurred in the lead-up to the postal survey in various cities.^[16] On 27 August, approximately 20,000 people attended a rally in Melbourne calling on the government to legalise same-sex marriage,^[17] whilst on 10 September more than 30,000 people gathered in Sydney's CBD supporting a "Yes" vote in the survey.^[18]

"No" campaign

Lead lobby groups

• Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference (ACBC) has said, "Vote No, to keep marriage as a unique relationship between a woman and a man . . . the consequences of changing marriage are very real".^[19]
• Coalition for Marriage, a body formed by several groups^[20] opposed to same-sex marriage to co-ordinate a "No" campaign.^{[21] [22]}
  • Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) advocates a "No" vote, in-part, because of the perceived implications for children.^[23]
  • Marriage Alliance states that it wants to respect same-sex attracted people but does not want to change the current definition of marriage.^[24]
• FamilyVoice Australia which advocates Voting No for freedom and for children.^[25]

Notable individuals

• Roger Corbett, former CEO of Woolworths Limited and former chairman of Fairfax Media^{[26] [27]}
• Kevin Donnelly, Australian educator, author and commentator ^[28]
• Miranda Devine, Conservative columnist^[29]
• David Flint, legal academic
• Israel Folau, rugby union player^[30]
• Ashley Goldsworthy, Australian computer scientist and business executive ^[31]
• Lyle Shelton, managing director of the Australian Christian Lobby^[32]
• Karina Okotel, federal vice president of the Liberal Party.^[33]
• Milo Yiannopoulos, far-right political commentator, polemicist, public speaker and writer^[34]

Politicians

Federal Politicians

State and Territory Politicians

Organisations and agencies

• Antipodean Resistance, Neo-Nazi and fascist group^{[35] [36]}
• United Patriots Front, far-right nationalist anti-Islam organisation^{[37] [38]}

Political parties

Neutral

Organisations and agencies

• Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ)^[39]
• Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)^[40]
• Australia Post^[41]
• Deloitte Access Economics
• Holden
• Optus
• REA Group
• The Salvation Army

Sports groups and organisations

• Australian Olympic Committee^[42]
• Carlton Football Club
• Fremantle Football Club
• Hawthorn Football Club
• Swimming Australia^[43]
• West Coast Eagles^[44]

State and local governments

• City of Brisbane^[45]

Political parties

• Jacqui Lambie Network^[46]
• Liberal Party of Australia^[47]
• Pauline Hanson's One Nation^[48]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Australia Marriage Equality press conference. 11 August 2017. Facebook.
2. GetUp! . GetUp . 895839289707159552 . 10 August 2017 . Here's our statement on the marriage equality postal survey! https://t.co/tCX6ee92gR . en . 24 December 2020.
3. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/sep/04/same-sex-marriage-debate-conservative-muslims-steer-clear-for-fear-of-backlash Same-sex marriage debate: conservative Muslims steer clear for fear of backlash
4. http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1916.0 Australian Buddhists supports same-sex marriage
5. News: Leichhardt Uniting Church opens door to #yes vote. 17 September 2017. The Daily Telegraph. en.
6. http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.quakersaustralia.info/resource/resmgr/qplc/Letter_Marriage-Equality.pdf Marriage Equality Letter
7. St . stmichaelsmelb . 899868363949617152 . 22 August 2017 . @stmichaelsmelb is displaying a large rainbow sign on the front of our church to show our support of Marriage Equality. #voteyes #loveislove https://t.co/i2f8FuWwmW . en . 24 December 2020.
8. https://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/legalise-samesex-marriage-for-the-common-good-says-catholic-priest-frank-brennan-20170901-gy8njv.html Legalise same-sex marriage for the 'common good', says Catholic priest Frank Brennan
9. Web site: Anglican archbishop of Perth supports marriage equality but will not challenge church . 30 August 2017 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20230605160504/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/aug/30/anglican-archbishop-supports-marriage-equality-but-will-not-challenge-church . 5 June 2023 . live .
10. http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/alex-greenwich/its-great-to-see-people-of-faith-also-have-faith-in-marriage-equality_a_23191617/ It's Great To See People Of Faith Also Have Faith In Marriage Equality
11. http://www.news.com.au/national/politics/marriage-equality-rogue-liberal-mps-open-to-postal-plebiscite/news-story/cdb8be8dfe13149dd024139aee366a80 Marriage equality: Rogue Liberal MPs open to postal plebiscite
12. Web site: Kath and Kim Say YES. www.facebook.com. en.
13. Web site: This survey ain't no dress rehearsal and Kinky Boots Australia have gone all out to let us know how they have voted! . Facebook.
14. WICKED Aus & NZ . WickedinOz . 912499431752298496 . 25 September 2017 .
    1. WickedInOz supports #MarriageEquality #LoveIsLove ❤️ https://t.co/ECRCpyZ2b8
    . en . 24 December 2020.
15. https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/love-is-love-will--grace-star-debra-messing-on-the-marriage-equality-debate-20170913-gyh0yr.html 'Love is love': Will & Grace star Debra Messing on the marriage equality debate
16. Web site: SSM: Malcolm Turnbull urges Australians to say yes as thousands in Sydney rally. ABC News. 10 September 2017.
17. News: Rally for gay marriage draws thousands. 27 August 2017. SBS News. en.
18. Web site: Rainbow connection: tens of thousands say 'I do' to marriage equality. 10 September 2017. The Guardian.
19. Web site: Plebiscite on marriage . Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference. Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference. 19 August 2017.
20. Web site: Coalition for marriage partners . 26 August 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170826074139/https://www.coalitionformarriage.com.au/partners . 26 August 2017 . dead .
21. Web site: Gay marriage lobby holds the aces, but the silent majority is stirring. 14 August 2017. 19 August 2017. news.com.au. News Corp Australia. Miranda. Devine.
22. Web site: Same-sex marriage: Coalition for Marriage joins No campaign, says it is voice for 'silent majority'. ABC News. 19 August 2017. 14 August 2017. Katherine. Gregory.
23. News: Australian Christian Lobby wants a postal plebiscite . 19 July 2017. OutInPerth. 15 August 2017.
    News: Australian Christian Lobby's Lyle Shelton . 14 August 2017. The Feed Viceland SBS. 15 August 2017.
24. Web site: Support Marriage. Marriage Alliance. 26 August 2017.
25. News: FamilyVoice Australia . 18 August 2017. 19 August 2017.
26. https://www.facebook.com/ABC730/videos/10155745006124516/ Roger Corbett, former managing director of Woolworths, is opposed to same-sex marriage.
27. News: Qantas CEO Alan Joyce urges Roger Corbett to keep talking . Bourke . Latika . 20 September 2017 . . 21 September 2017.
28. https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/this-is-why-ill-be-voting-no-to-samesex-marriage-20170817-gxy6np.html Kevin Donnelly (17 August 2017), This is why I'll be voting 'no' to same-sex marriage, Sydney Morning Herald
29. Shelton . Lyle . LyleShelton . 921889748079095808 . 21 October 2017 . With the No team (aka basket of deplorables @RealMarkLatham & @mirandadevine) for the Wombat Hollow Forum. About to go live on APAC. https://t.co/e4KN2C3yIC . en . 24 December 2020.
30. News: Wallabies star Israel Folau tweets his opposition to same-sex marriage. 13 September 2017. The Daily Telegraph. 13 September 2017.
31. http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/grassroots-antimarriage-lobbies-have-powerful-connections-20150812-gixmw4.html James Robertson (12 August 2015), Grassroots anti-marriage lobbies have powerful connections, Sydney Morning Herald
32. News: Gay marriage alters definition of gender: ACL. 20 August 2017. Sky News Australia. 21 August 2017. 21 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170821043613/http://www.skynews.com.au/news/politics/federal/2017/08/20/gay-marriage-alters-definition-of-gender--acl.html. dead.
33. Web site: Unlikely face of No campaign: The lawyer who 'cares'. News.com.au. 24 November 2017.
34. Web site: Newlywed Milo Yiannopoulos Wants Australians to Vote Against His Same-Sex Marriage . intomore.com . 24 October 2017 . 29 January 2019 . 30 January 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190130053103/https://www.intomore.com/culture/newlywed-milo-yiannopoulos-wants-australians-to-vote-against-his-samesex-marriage . live.
35. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-05/neo-nazi-group-antipodean-resistance/8852682 Antipodean Resistance Neo-Nazi group trying to sway Australia's same-sex marriage postal vote
36. Web site: White supremacists take credit for homophobic posters in Melbourne. The Australian. 29 August 2017. Rebecca. Urban. 5 September 2017.
37. https://twitter.com/blaircottrell89/status/911739248423743488 Gay marriage vote is Australia's Brexit / Trump moment. The fed up silent masses will vote NO despite propaganda & the left will cry & wail
38. https://twitter.com/blaircottrell89/status/905584938799448064 Is anyone else sick of gay marriage propaganda? It's literally everywhere. How stupid do they think we are? I won't be told what to do.
39. News: Australia to say 'Yes' to gay marriage, Newspoll shows. Bickers, Claire. 21 August 2017. News Ltd. 21 August 2017.
40. Web site: Samios . Zoe . ABC urges staff to remain impartial on marriage equality across social media . Mumbrella . 2017-08-10 . 2017-09-13.
41. News: SSM: Australia Post orders rainbow flag be removed from country post office . Riley, Stuart. 24 August 2017. ABC News. 24 August 2017.
42. News: Webster. Andrew. AOC refuses to endorse same-sex marriage because of religious concerns. 13 September 2017. Sydney Morning Herald. 13 September 2017.
43. Web site: Swimming Australia Statement regarding Marriage Equality. Swimming Australia website. 23 September 2017.
44. https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/eagles-dockers-at-odds-with-afl-over-same-sex-marriage-message-ng-b88606459z Eagles, Dockers at odds with AFL over same-sex marriage message
45. News: McCosker. Ruth. Council refuses to publicly back yes vote on same-sex marriage. 30 August 2017. Brisbane Times. Fairfax Media. 29 August 2017.
46. Web site: Jacqui Lambie gay marriage views might surprise you . Mamamia.com.au . 2017-02-22 . 2017-08-12 .
    Web site: Conscience Votes . Jacqui Lambie Network . 2014-06-20 . 2017-08-12 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170812173341/http://lambienetwork.com.au/policy/conscience-votes/ . 12 August 2017 . dmy-all .
47. Web site: Turnbull's team off on the same-sex marriage plebiscite trail . The Australian . 12 August 2017. subscription.
48. Web site: Our Aims . Pauline Hanson's One Nation . 2017-08-12.