Public opinion of same-sex marriage in Australia

Public opinion of same-sex marriage in Australia has changed a lot over the years. In 2004, only 38% of people in Australia supported same-sex marriage. But by 2023, this number grew to a strong majority of 75% support.

This change shows how people’s views on marriage and relationships have evolved. For more details about the official government survey on this topic, you can read about the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey.

Opinion polls

2000s

In June 2004, a poll showed that 38% of people supported allowing people of the same sex to marry, with 44% opposed and 18% unsure.

In June 2007, another poll of 1,100 Australians found that 57% supported allowing same-sex couples to marry, while 37% were opposed and 6% were unsure. The poll also found that 71% supported same-sex couples having the same legal rights as couples who are married.

In June 2009, a poll of 1,100 Australians found that 60% supported allowing same-sex couples to marry, with 36% opposed and 4% unsure. Support was highest among voters from the Greens party and among those aged 16–24.

2010s

In October 2010, a poll of 1,050 Australians found that 62% supported allowing same-sex couples to marry, with 33% opposed and 5% unsure. Support was highest among those aged 18–24 and among people living in South Australia.

In March 2011, a poll found that support for same-sex marriage had dropped below 50%, with opposition up by 4%.

In July 2011, a poll of 543 people found that 68% of Australians supported allowing same-sex couples to marry and 78% believed that marriage was a "necessary" institution.

In November 2011, a poll of over 1,000 voters found that 80% agreed that a leader should allow members of their team to decide for themselves how they would vote on allowing same-sex couples to marry.

In February 2012, an online poll of 1,506 Australian adults found that 49% said same-sex couples should be allowed to marry legally, 31% said they should be allowed to have a relationship but not marry, and 14% opposed any legal recognition.

From February to April 2012, the House of Representatives conducted an online survey to let people share their views on allowing same-sex couples to marry. The survey closed on 20 April, having received about 276,000 responses, including about 213,500 comments. Of these responses, 64.3% supported allowing same-sex couples to marry.

In May 2013, a poll found that 54% of people supported allowing same-sex couples to marry and another 20% supported another form of recognition for same-sex couples.

In August 2013, a poll found that 65% of people supported allowing same-sex couples to marry, up 8 points since December 2011, while only 28% were opposed.

In June 2014, a survey asked people about common reasons some people might not support allowing same-sex couples to marry.

In July 2014, a poll found that 72% of Australians supported allowing same-sex couples to marry, while only 21% were opposed. A majority of people from major religious groups supported allowing same-sex couples to marry, as did a majority of people aged over 55.

In June 2015, a poll found 68% of people supported allowing same-sex couples to marry, 25% were opposed and 7% were unsure.

In August 2015, a survey found support for allowing same-sex couples to marry at 60%, with 66% supporting a public vote on the issue.

In September 2015, a poll found 67% of Australians wanted a public vote to decide whether same-sex couples could marry, but in October 2015, another poll found that support for a public vote fell to 43% when people were told it would cost around $150 million.

In March 2016, a poll found that 64% of people agreed that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry, 26% said they should not be allowed to marry and 11% were unsure.

In July 2016, a poll found decreasing support for a public vote on allowing same-sex couples to marry. When people were told the vote was not legally binding, support dropped to 35%. When people were told the expected cost of the vote, support dropped further to 25%.

In August 2016, a poll found that 57% of people said they would vote 'yes' in a public vote to allow same-sex couples to marry, 28% said they would vote 'no' and 15% were unsure.

In September 2016, a survey found that Maranoa, in southwest Queensland, was the only area in the country where most people opposed allowing same-sex couples to marry. The areas most supportive of allowing same-sex couples to marry were Sydney, Melbourne, Grayndler, Wentworth, Melbourne Ports, Wills, Gellibrand, Batman, Higgins and Brisbane.

Marriage Law Postal Survey

Main article: Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey

In 2017, Australia held a vote to find out if people supported allowing couples of the same sex to get married. Every adult who could vote received a survey with the question: "Should the law be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry?" Almost 80% of people returned their surveys. Out of these, about 62% voted "Yes," while about 38% voted "No." A small number of votes were unclear.

Summary table