Marriage equality survey bolsters calls for legislative change
Tasmanian campaigners for marriage equality believe they have further evidence of strong community support for their cause.
The group Australian Marriage Equality have doorknocked an entire inner-Hobart suburb with a petition calling for federal same-sex marriage laws.
Ben Bartl from the group said the majority of Battery Point residents are supportive.
"For the first time in Australia, we have door knocked an entire suburb," he said.
"Door-by-door, street-by-street, we've walked our way through Battery Point, asking residents whether they support same-sex marriage."
Mr Bartl said the majority did.
"Seventy-two per cent in total of people that were home said 'yes, we support same sex marriage and we would like to see the Commonwealth Parliament introduce a same-sex marriage act'."
He said there are a number of reasons why Battery Point was chosen.
"There have been some constitutional concerns about same sex marriage and whether the states are able to introduce it," he said.
"Also, one of the founders of the Australian Constitution was Andrew Inglis Clark, he grew up in Battery Point, we thought that was quite symbolic.
"We also thought that Battery Point is generally older and more conservative suburb so although the (Federal) Government would like to suggest that older conservative people don't support same sex marriage, as the results show, it's an overwhelming majority that do."
The group has dubbed Battery Point "Equality Point" and decorated a local landmark, Kelly's Steps, with rainbow colours.
