Same-sex marriage bill to go before Australian parliament

A same-sex marriage bill will be introduced to Australian Parliament on August 11, according to reports.

Sky News reports that Liberal MPs Warren Entsch and Teresa Gambaro will sponsor the bill alongside Labor MPs Terri Butler and Laurie Ferguson, who have confirmed to the outlet that they will be the opposition co-sponsors, with the Liberal party room then deciding whether to hold a conscience vote on same-sex marriage on August 18.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is facing increasing pressure from within his country and worldwide to allow same-sex marriage following the recent decisions in Ireland and the United States.

Australia is now the only major developed English-speaking country without marriage equality.

But there is still resistence from within Abbott’s own party – just yesterday Liberal backbencher Dennis Jensen suggested that if same-sex people should be allowed to marry, he should be allowed to wed his own children.

At least 60 of 80 Labor MPs are expected to vote for the bill.