BOWMAN MP Andrew Laming has been asked to explain his electorate surveys which were shown to be out of whack with the federal government’s census on same sex marriage.
Australians backed legalising same-sex marriage, with the national “yes” campaign winning the vote 61.6 per cent to the “no” campaign’s 38.4 per cent.
The Redlands yes vote was slightly higher than the national average, with 62.1 per cent voting yes.
It comes as Alexandra Hills marriage celebrant Terry Ryan warns that Redlands same sex couples who plan to wed soon should wait to book things like reception venues, celebrants and cars until new legislation is introduced.
The next step in the national debate is for the federal government to put a bill before the house, legalising same-sex marriage as promised by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Although the bill is likely to be tabled before Christmas, Mr Ryan warned that same-sex marriages might not occur as quickly as people thought because couples wishing to marry must lodge a Notice of Intended Marriage with their chosen celebrant.
“The marriage cannot be solemnised until after one calendar month from the date the authorised celebrant receives the notice unless ... a prescribed authority has authorised the marriage to be solemnised before that time has elapsed,” he said.
The vote is expect to inject millions into the economy via wedding packages, with gay couples traditionally taking wedding business overseas to countries like NZ.
Mr Ryan said most celebrants welcomed the yes vote and were looking forward to working with all people who wished to express their commitment to each other by marrying their partner;
Mr Laming, who conducts annual voluntary household surveys, has said 43.7 per cent of those who responded to his electorate survey supported same-sex marriage whereas the census survey result for Bowman was 62.1 per cent.
Redlands equality campaigner Michael Burge said results showed what Australians had known for years – that most people strongly supported marriage equality and Redlanders were no different.
“The only public votes that ever came back with a no result in the Redlands were Mr Laming's annual 'scientific surveys' as he described them,” Mr Burge said.
“...Redlanders can now see his survey for what it was – an attempt to skew the debate and delay his leadership on the issue.
“...The time is over for Mr Laming's tricky games and silly statistics,” he said.
Mr Laming said that he would now vote yes on the matter.
“I never claimed any poll represents the Redland verdict,” he said. “I simply say my vote is determined by the best survey available at the time.
“I will continue doing electorate-wide polling and acting on the result of the latest survey in each case.
“...Even the ABS is only the view of 79 per cent of Australians. That doesn’t make it unscientific. Decisions are made based on people having a say, not on those who don’t.”
Capalaba MP Don Brown said the plebiscite showed that Mr Laming’s survey results were false.
“We need to come together as a nation now and our politicians like Andrew Laming need to do their job and vote up this legislation before Christmas,” he said.
In 2011 Mr Laming told the Brisbane Times that he opposed same-sex marriage but later changed his stance to say he would not reveal where he stood on the issue.
“I took an impartial position when the question was first added to my electorate survey late 2011 and reported early 2012,” he said.
