Poll finds support for same-sex marriage as survey forms are posted out
The survey forms will be mailed out across the country from Tuesday. Photo: ABS.
Support for same-sex marriage remains at 70 per cent according to a newly released poll as forms for the survey are posted out across the country.
A new Fairfax/Ipsos poll found 65 per cent of people were “certain” to complete the postal survey, and of those seven out of 10 will tick “yes” in favour of marriage equality.
Some 1400 voters were surveyed between Wednesday and Saturday last week for the poll.
A Fairfax/Ipsos poll a year ago found 70 per cent support for same-sex marriage.
Survey forms asking Australians whether they support marriage equality are being posted from Tuesday.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics is aiming to get the forms out to 16 million voters by September 25.
The form asks a simple question, “Should the law be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry”, followed by yes and no boxes to be marked.
The ABS revealed a sample survey form on Monday, with little on the ballot than the question itself.
The bureau has warned that any doodles on the survey form could make it difficult for the vote to be counted.
The ABS is also warning against sending back letters or essays.
‘Yes’ voters are also being told not to include glitter in their envelope.
“Any extraneous material inserted in the envelope with the survey will be destroyed. This could also contaminate processing machinery or result in the survey also being destroyed and not processed,” the ABS said.
A reply paid envelope will be supplied to voters to return their form.
The ABS will close receipt of forms at 6pm on November 7, but is encouraging forms to be sent in by October 27.
Requests for replacement materials, if a problem occurs, will only be accepted between September 25 and 6pm October 20.
The ABS will announce the result at 11.30am on November 15.
There will be a vote in parliament for same-sex marriage if majority Australians voted ‘yes’.
Many of those taking part in the survey will be first-time voters. The bureau said 90,000 Australians joined the electoral roll in the lead-up to the vote.
As proponents of the yes and no case ramp up their campaigns, Labor and the coalition are working on laws to ensure campaign materials do not include hate speech and all materials are properly authorised, as they are during elections.
The laws are expected to pass parliament by the end of the week.
-with AAP
