CANBERRA, Australia (CNN) – Australia is one of many countries around the world where same-sex couples are not permitted to legally marry. And the law doesn’t seem likely to change any time soon.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who has long opposed gay marriage, made it clear last week that her mind hadn’t been nudged by a politically risky move by U.S. President Barack Obama to back same-sex marriages.
“My view hasn’t changed and when a bill comes to the parliament later this year, moved by private members, Stephen Jones, one of our Labor members … when that bill comes to the parliament this year I won’t vote for it,” Gillard told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Jones is one of two members of parliament who have submitted a private member’s bill that calls for the legalization of gay marriage.
“Obviously at this stage we’ve still got more work to do,” said John Kloprogge, spokesman for campaign group Australian Marriage Equality.
