With AAP.
A record number of LGBTIQ supporters have filled central Sydney in support of same-sex marriage.
Tens of thousands of people, including federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, deputy Tanya Plibersek and a “rainbow coalition of politics”, crowded around Town Hall on Sunday afternoon.
“We’ve got one last mountain to climb before we make marriage equality a reality, let’s climb it together today,” Mr Shorten told the rainbow-clad crowd.
He apologised to LGBTIQ Australians for “all of the hateful and stupid things which have been said and are going to be said until we win marriage equality”.
Promising to call out the rubbish and the hate, Mr Shorten urged those left disappointed by the High Court’s decision to allow a postal survey to “turn your disappointment into determination to win.”
NSW Greens MP Jenny Leong said a rainbow-painted Sydney has come out to show love will win.
"There is no choice now but to get out the most enormously massive rainbow 'Yes' vote that we can possibly muster," she said.
The colourful crowd waved signs such as "Let's end the hate", "Did I vote on your marriage?" and "How is this not a thing yet?"
To many people's surprise, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also made an appearance at the rally, throwing his support behind the "yes" campaign.
“Now, in any one of those nations has the sky fallen in? Has life as we know it ground to a halt? Has traditional marriage been undermined? The answer is plainly no.”
Listen: The Mamamia Out Loud team have a marriage equality message for Malcolm. Post continues after audio.
Organisers said it was the biggest demonstration for LGBTIQ people in Australia's history, which left Town Hall train station at a standstill, filled to capacity.
The masses marched down Park Street and Elizabeth Street towards Circular Quay where they were met by comedian Pauline Pantsdown.
Speaking before the rally, she said she was there to provide balance, representing the "No the whole thing is wrong and it stinks and I don't like it campaign".
"I can't think of any valid reasons against two people loving each other or being together, having support, having community around them," she said.
"I will by the time the rally starts come up with some completely random, unrelated reasons and I'll see you all then."
The Australian Bureau of Statistics will start mailing out survey forms on Tuesday, with results announced on November 15.
Top Comments
Bill Shorten must have missed the hate from the yes side against Margaret Court, Dr Pansy Lai, Lyle Shelton, the bombing of the Christian Lobby Office, the violence and harassment towards people trying to enter a church at Ashgrove last week, and now this despicable slur at Pauline Hanson.
We are watching Bill and taking notes, and this behaviour from the yes people is driving more and more people into the no camp.
It's not hate when you are fighting hate.
The no campaign is pure selfishness, wanting their own freedoms, plus the freedom to discriminate against others. Christians against marriage equality are the most hypocritical people on the planet. You can live in freedom, if you live like me. Pathetic. This is a secular country, where Christians are free to live as they please. They should extend that to others and stop trying to subject Australian citizens to their own personal morals.
It's not hate when you are fighting hate.
Such a dangerous view. That sort of thinking is why I'm voting NO!!
I agree harassment and hate are not warranted but do not punish the majority of positive yes campaigners due to vile behaviour of a milatant few.
Yes- I agree it is galling. Maybe if we tell all those Christian it's sharia law to hate on gays. A vote no is a vote for sharia might play to their Christian superiority.
My dads partner ( who lives in sin after getting divorced) reckons she will be punished by god if voting YES.
I felt like saying if he is punishing you for anything is would be for defrauding Centrelink by not declaring you are in a relationship and "living in sin".hell she has never stepped foot in a church.
Apparently gay marriage is a higher order sin and she worries about the children. If she is worried about the children they already have surely stigmatising them is so helpful. And as for her parenting- one daughter in an unemployed alcoholic and the other suicided after a life of drugs and prostitution. I would never say that to her of course as it would be cruel.
She is not a bad person but has some entrenched views of the sins of gay people from a era it was a crime.
TELL *her* those things. Not us. I could NOT say nothing to her if it were me.