Above: Local campaigners for the YES vote will be rejoicing today.Â
All states and territories have recorded a majority Yes response to the Same Sex Marriage survey, in results just announced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
In the NT’s Lingiari electorate 54.5% voted Yes, in contrast to Solomon with 60.6% in favour, closer to the majority Australian result of  61.6%.
The NT had a 58.4% response rate to the postal survey, significantly lower than the national response rate of close to 80%.
Women across the country were more likely to respond than men. In the NT, 60.7% of eligible women and 56.0% of eligible men responded to the survey.
Territorians aged 75 to 79 were the most likely to respond to the survey with 74.9% of those eligible in this age group participating. The participation rate was lowest in those aged 20 to 24 at 46.4%.
Nationally 133 of the 150 Federal Electoral Divisions recorded a majority Yes response, and 17 of the 150 Federal Electoral Divisions recorded a majority No response.
God made Adam and Eve – NOT Adam and Steve
When I was a kid I had an imaginary friend and I used to think that he went everywhere with me and that I could talk to him and that he could hear me and he could grant me wishes and stuff. And then I grew up, and I stopped going to church. Jimmy Carr.
When I was a boy I was taught by Catholic nuns and Christian Brothers in the city. I believed. Then I went to the Alice with fellow high minded lads ‘n’ girls to try to make a difference, pre-Whitlam and post-Whitlam. I landed in a cauldron of New Age thinking and robust personal criticism from atheists and White Dreamtime Warriors who tore strips off all my belief in faith traditions and had me on the ropes constantly.
Experienced first hand, constantly, all the challenges to every facet of my faith. Saw the first transgender lad outside the Bull Bar at the Stupid one Saturday night late ’60s. A stocky brickie’s labourer, about my age, in a fairy dress, lippy and high heels, orange beard. Assaulted and robbed regularly, did not resist. He died face down in the Todd overnight. They found him on a Sunday morning while I was at Mass at Sacred Heart. I had to face up to the reality and the equality of each soul in the Eye of God or ship out.
Nearly 50 years later, I voted No. I did so with a clear conscience. I have always regarded that transgender lad as my equal. And will continue to do so until the day I die. If he were alive today I believe we would be firm friends, despite our different leanings and beliefs.
Most of the votes letters were stolen anyway, but let’s see if it gets through Parliament.
Just one question: Why do gays and lesbians always have to be the focal point every time, thought we were all human beings!