Advocates have dismissed Australian Marriage Forum (AMF) research released today as "irrelevant" and "fear-mongering".

Same-sex parents

AMF spokesperson, Dr David van Gend, says his research shows two thirds of respondents said it is more important that a child should have a mother and father than two men should have the right to marry and create a family. It also found that a third of Coalition voters would be less likely to vote for a Coalition candidate who voted for marriage equality.

Australian Marriage Equality national director, Rodney Croome, said,

“The choice given to respondents was a false one because the Marriage Act, which is what we’re discussing, is about regulating adult relationships while matters related to children are dealt with by completely separate laws including the federal Family Law Act and state legislation in areas like adoption and surrogacy.”

“There is simply no legal link in Australian law between marriage and children so Dr van Gend’s research is irrelevant.”

“The result regarding Coalition voters is also misleading because, with Labor supporting marriage equality, those Coalition voters who oppose marriage equality have nowhere to turn but minor right-wing parties whose preferences flow back to the Coalition.”

“The voters who should be of concern to the Coalition are swing voters who we know from previous polling overwhelmingly support marriage equality.”

“According to the Liberal Party’s go-to research company, Crosby/Textor, the Coalition can expect a net 8% increase in their vote, mainly from swing voters, if they allow a free vote on marriage equality.”

Mr Croome said,

“Dr van Gend is trying unsuccessfully to confound what is a simple issue with fear-mongering about same-sex parenting.

“I believe Australians will see through this scare campaign.”

“The Crosby/Textor survey found that less than 30% of Australians believe children need both a father and a mother and legalising same-sex marriage would break this down.”

For a copy of the AMF research, click here.

Photo By Kurt Löwenstein Educational Center International Team from Germany (ws’08 (5)) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

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