Australia Says Yes To Marriage Equality
Australians have voted to legalise same-sex marriage by an overwhelming margin in a national survey.
Some 61.6% of voters supported Australia becoming the 26th nation to legalise same-sex marriage - after countries such as Ireland, the US, Canada, New Zealand and the UK.
There were 38.4% opposed to the move.
Almost 80% of eligible voters - 12.7 million people - participated in the voluntary postal survey.
Each of Australia's states and territories voted 'Yes' by more than 60%, except for New South Wales (57.8%).
The Equality Campaign said a greater percentage of people participated in this vote than in Brexit, the British general election, the Irish marriage equality referendum and the the US presidential election.
Here, Children's Minister Katherine Zappone said: "The Yes result shows that when given a chance people across our world will speak out and demand equality for all.
"The outcome will boost marriage equality campaigners in Northern Ireland and elsewhere."
Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Twitter: "The people of Australia have spoken and I intend to make their wish the law of the land by Christmas.
"This is an overwhelming call for marriage equality."
Praise of the vote has been flooding in:
The Equality Campaign in Australia was headed by Irish man Tiernan Brady, who was also instrumental in passing Ireland's marriage equality referendum back in 2015.