Australian govt backs away from gay marriage vote this year
Source: Reuters
Sun Mar 6, 2016 3:19pm EST
RPT-UPDATE 1-Australian govt backs away from gay marriage vote this year
By Jane Wardell and Peter Gosnell
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull backed away from a pledge by one of his senior ministers on Sunday that the government would hold a public vote on same-sex marriage later this year if it is reelected.
A spokeswoman for Turnbull said the government was committed to holding a plebiscite, or public vote, as soon as possible after the election but had not committed further to the timing.
Attorney-General George Brandis had earlier said the vote would occur before the end of the year and that the legislation would immediately be pushed through parliament if the public voted in favour of same-sex marriage.
"We will be going to the election promising a plebiscite before the end of the year," Brandis told Sky News.
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http://www.reuters.com/article/australia-politics-gaymarriage-repeat-up-idUSL4N16E0C4