Support for same sex marriage is high within Sunbury and the Macedon Ranges.
Results from the same sex marriage survey, revealed last week, show the Federal seats of McEwen and Bendigo had a higher ‘yes’ vote than the national average of 61.6 per cent.
In McEwen, which contains towns including Sunbury, Gisborne, Lancefield and Romsey, 65.4 per cent of the 112,712 people who voted were in favour of same-sex marriage. Bendigo’s 92,264 voters, including those from Macedon, Woodend and Kyneton, voted 68.7 per cent in favour of gay marriage.
Both seats also experienced high voter participation, with 80.7 per cent of eligible voters in McEwen and 82.7 per cent in Bendigo casting a vote. The nation’s participation rate was 79.5 per cent.
McEwen MP Rob Mitchell told Star Weekly he was pleased with the high rate of participation in the survey, and that the results should mark the end of division and hurt for the LGBTIQ+ community.
Bendigo MP Lisa Chester said she was proud of the electorate for voting ‘yes’, and that local campaigners should be proud of their achievements.
LGBTIQ+ support group Openhouse Macedon Ranges and Macedon Ranges councillors hosted a celebration last Thursday night at Mount Macedon Hotel.
Openhouse Macedon Ranges founder Jenny Lonergan said the number of people who chose to have their say by participating in the survey was “so heartening”.
Just after the survey result was announced last Wednesday, she met with three local priests to discuss inclusion and diversity in Macedon Ranges.
“The conversations were exciting and really hopeful,” Ms Lonergan said. “The day was actually perfect.”
