Results of Australia's Survey on Same-Sex Marriage Are In

Australians have overwhelmingly voted in favor of same-sex marriage, the New Zealand Herald reports. The results of a two-month-long, $93 million survey were released Wednesday morning: 61.6% in favor of legalization, 38.4% opposed. According to CNN, the "yes" side won every state and territory in the country. One man celebrating the results tells the New York Times it's "our proudest moment as gay and lesbian Australians," adding, "Finally I can be proud of my country." Nearly 80% of voting-age Australians participated in the survey.

While the survey was not legally binding, Australian lawmakers plan to quickly introduce a bill in Parliament to legalize same-sex marriage. The survey was called by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who supports same-sex marriage. "My commitment was to give every Australian their say," Turnbull says. "That has been done, they have spoken." He adds: "They voted 'yes' for fairness, they voted 'yes' for commitment, they voted 'yes' for love." He says he wants same-sex marriage legalized by Christmas and says Parliament needs "to get on with it." (More Australia stories.)