by Matt Walsh
CANBERRA, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government was given the green light to on Thursday carry on conducting a postal vote to help determine the future of same-sex marriage in Australia, after the High Court dismissed a challenge from two groups contesting the postal survey's legality.
The High Court challenge against the legality of the 122 million Australian dollars (97.5 million U.S. dollars) postal vote was lodged by two parties last month, after the government's push for a plebiscite was voted down by the parliament and postal vote ordered in its place.
The first was led by independent MP Andrew Wilkie on behalf of PFLAG (Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), while the second was made up of the Australian Marriage Equality (AME) advocates and Greens Senator Janet Rice.
They alleged that the government, through Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, didn't have the authority to allocate such a large amount of money for such a non-urgent and non-binding matter.
But on Thursday, the High Court dismissed the claims, allowing the government to carry on with polling the public about whether same-sex marriage should be legalized.
The ballot papers will read, "Should the law be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry?"
The vote, however, will not change the law. Rather, the result will only determine whether or not the question will be taken to parliament. If the "no" vote wins, the issue will not make it to the parliament, while if the "yes" vote wins, MPs will vote to determine the legality of same-sex marriage in Australia.
Attorney-General George Brandis was addressing the senate as the result was being handed down, and he said that postal ballot papers would be mailed out to registered voters from next week.
"The effect of the decision of the court is that there is now no legal impediment to that postal survey proceeding and all Australians having their say on this important social question," Brandis said.
Also speaking after the decision was handed down by the High Court, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said all Australians should vote to "embrace this important social change", declaring that he and his wife "will be voting yes'".
"This is a great example where every Australian can have a say and we can, as a Commonwealth of Australia, embrace this important social change, consider it and make a decision," Turnbull told the parliament on Thursday.
Meanwhile, speaking after the decision was handed down, High Court challenger Andrew Wilkie said while he was disappointed, his focus now turned to voting "yes" to allow same-sex couples the right to marry.
"I respect the court's decision, however, and so my focus now turns to making the most of the postal vote. I'll be voting yes and will be encouraging everyone else to do the same," Wilkie said on Thursday.
Ballot papers will be sent to Australians of voting age by Sept. 25, with all responses lodged before November 7 to be counted in the postal vote.
According to the government, the result of the postal ballot will be finalized and announced at 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 15, with the government to take appropriate action depending on the result.
