It’s official – Australia votes YES to same-sex marriage!
UPDATE @ 9.00am: Today will go down in the history books.
After a long few months, AUSTRALIA has overwhelmingly voted YES to legalising same-sex marriage.
The Bureau of Statistics made the announcement a short time ago, after sifting through nearly 13 million votes.
Nearly 8 out of 10 eligible Australians (79.5%) had their say in the postal ballot, with every state and territory recording a majority YES result.
7,817,247 (61.6%) said they believed the law should be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry, while 4,873,987 (38.4%) responded no.
The state with the most amount of yes votes was the ACT at 74%, and the lowest was New South Wales with 57.8%.

Screengrab: https://marriagesurvey.abs.gov.au/results/
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says its now up to the Government to have same-sex marriage legalised by Christmas.
“Now it is up to us, here in the Parliament of Australia, to get on with it, to do to the job the Australian people have tasked us to do… to get this done, this year, before Christmas.”
WATCH:
The people of Australia have spoken and I intend to make their wish the law of the land by Christmas. This is an overwhelming call for marriage equality. pic.twitter.com/PWZbH5H71r
— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) November 14, 2017
Social media was lit up with a beautiful array of colour as soon as the results were read out.
Thank you Australia.
WE DID IT! #YES #MarriageEquality pic.twitter.com/K9bm1RtMWh
— AU Marriage Equality (@AMEquality) November 14, 2017
On behalf of Australia, so proud to announce: ‘the survey saaaaaaays’….. YES !! ❤️?#MarriageEquality #ssm2017
— Grant Denyer (@grantdenyer) November 14, 2017
It’s a g’day. Way to go Australia. #MarriageEquality pic.twitter.com/0tdnBHPAW1
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) November 14, 2017
Australia just voted an overwhelming YES for #MarriageEquality, what a big and important step towards full equality! Congratulations! ?️????️?
— Lady Gaga (@gagamonster96) November 14, 2017
This is a beautiful moment in our history. Tears in my eyes for my family, my friends and our country. #love #respect #equality ?
— Sylvia Jeffreys (@SylviaJeffreys) November 14, 2017
I am crying…61.6% of Australians voted #YES for #MarriageEquaility ?️??️??️??️??️? So proud of everyone who used their voice & their vote to make a change! Congratulations to the LGBTQ community xxx ?✊? #LoveIsLove pic.twitter.com/5YysKgf5pl
— RICKI-LEE ? (@TheRickiLee) November 14, 2017
Thank you, Australia #yes
— Ian Thorpe (@IanThorpe) November 14, 2017
Yessssssssssss!!!!!!! Jx pic.twitter.com/Q3i8Qu3sL1
— Julia Morris (@Ladyjmo) November 14, 2017
Yes!!!!! Congrats Australia! Every step taken is one closer to World Peace! Love love love you! Proud to be Australian by association lol ❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/1zO5kSjMS7
— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) November 14, 2017
#Australia … ?? #MarriageEquality ? Love is love, always was love, always will be love.
— kylie minogue (@kylieminogue) November 14, 2017
????AUSTRALIA????LOVE WINS!!!!!!!!!! #marriageequaility
— The Veronicas (@TheVeronicas) November 14, 2017
YES YES YES YES YES AUSTRALIA – YES!!!!!!! ????????????????????
— Sam Smith (@samsmithworld) November 14, 2017
EARLIER @ 7.00am: The wait is finally over.
At 9.00am AEST this morning, Australian’s will know the official result of the same-sex marriage postal survey.
Nearly 80 per cent of Australians took part in the voluntary vote, which asked whether or not the law should be changed to allow same sex couples to marry.
If various opinion polls posted online in the past few weeks are anything go by, same sex couples could be tying the knot by Christmas.
After spending five days in Asia, Prime Minister Turnbull has touched down in Canberra just in time for the highly anticipated survey announcement this morning.
If there is a YES vote, new legislation could be debated in Parliament as early as tomorrow.
GetUp marriage equality director Sally Rugg says this morning’s Bureau of Statistics announcement couldn’t come soon enough for the millions of Australians who posted Yes votes.
“A Yes result would be a massive win for people power – millions of us sent back a Yes vote not just for marriage equality but also for fairness and love,” she said.
Today is the day. #ssm @AMEquality pic.twitter.com/I6dvUUJCUD
— Andy Park (@andy_park) November 14, 2017
No matter what, you are loved, you are accepted, we are equal. #marriageequaility #loveislove
— Georgia Love (@GeorgieALove) November 14, 2017
Here’s hoping that at 10am I only have to be embarrassed about our politicians and not about my entire country.
Go Australia ?? ❤️ ?!#marriageequaility
— Andy Lee (@andy_lee) November 14, 2017
Thinking of you all tonight Sending love and strength to those who feel vulnerable. I feel confident Australia will do the right thing. But no matter the outcome,never forget…we are frickin fabulous!! I’m visualizing 73% YES!! Bless us all ???❤️??️??????????
— Magda Szubanski (@MagdaSzubanski) November 14, 2017
It breaks my heart that so many people are feeling anxious through no fault of their own. Fingers crossed common sense finally prevails ?
— Cassandra Wallace (@CassJWallace) November 14, 2017