Australia introduces with same sex marriage bill

A maverick lawmaker broke from conservative government ranks on Monday to introduce legislation that would legalize gay marriage in Australia as a new opinion poll confirmed that most Australians support such a reform. Warren Entsch, a 65-year-old former crocodile farmer who has been dubbed a progressive redneck in the media, introduced a private member’s bill that would allow same-sex marriage throughout Australia.

Entsch has conceded that his bill has little chance of reaching a vote because the ruling coalition decided last week that government lawmakers should be bound by the party line opposing gay marriage. “I certainly wouldn’t have been introducing it if I didn’t hope that I could have a vote on it,” Entsch told reporters.