Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

As I was just saying before the interruption, in 2013 a briefing paper released by the National LGBTI Health Alliance revealed that same-sex-attracted Australians have a rate of suicide attempts up to 14 times as high as that of their heterosexual peers, and discrimination and exclusion are the key causal factors for their mental health and suicide attempts. Medical studies demonstrate overwhelmingly that being married is a good way to live longer. Research shows that having a spouse gives individuals something to live for, compared to their single counterparts.

Looking globally, there are now more than 20 countries that have legalised same-sex marriage, including countries as diverse as Argentina, Norway, South Africa, France, Colombia and Ireland. Support in these countries for same-sex marriage is in certain instances overwhelming. For example, Denmark reported 87 per cent support for same-sex marriage. There was also compelling evidence that support for legal same-sex marriage has increased across every age group, political ideology, religion, gender, race and region of various developed countries in the world.

Back home, in May this year football players from every AFL team signed a petition in support of marriage equality, and this petition is part of an overwhelming equality campaign which hopes to continue the push for same-sex marriage. Meanwhile, the AFL Players' Association has been a signatory to marriage equality for the past two years.

I believe anyone who is still unclear about the need for a change in legislation should ask the next generation how they feel about this important subject. Nowadays, when I do school visits around my electorate and get the Q&A questions as part of my session, I am faced with a new phenomenon. Primary school children used to ask me about my dog or the make of my car I drive. Now both primary and secondary students ask me, totally unprompted questions by adults: what is my position on same-sex marriage or marriage equality? When I ask the students, with permission of the teachers, what their view is, their response is that they are overwhelmingly in favour irrespective of their age or the kind of school they are attending, which really surprised me. It is clear to me that the majority of my electorate is well and truly ready to embrace change on this important topic, and it is my responsibility to represent their majority views in the forthcoming vote.

So today, in conclusion, I stand to say that, as my electorate has now voted 'yes' on two occasions, La Trobe overall supports a change with the times. Love is love and, therefore, I support this bill. Let there be same-sex marriages in the Dandenong Ranges, and it will be great for business. Thank you.

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