ACOSS is very pleased that marriage equality has been recognised by the Australian people as a right following the release of the postal survey results today.

People across Australia have voted a resounding yes to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer people having the same rights as everyone else to marry the person they love.

ACOSS applauds all those across Australian society who campaigned tirelessly for this outcome, and all of those Australian people who voted yes to finally removing discriminatory barriers to marriage.

ACOSS calls on the Parliament to accept this resounding vote of yes and to ensure the passage of legislation is expedited and that it retains the necessary human rights protections all Australian people currently enjoy.

In now acting on this result the Parliament must not trade away existing important anti-discrimination protections for all Australians in return for the right to marry.