Former councillor leading Australian equality campaign

Ex-Donegal politician Tiernan Brady who is heading Australia’s marriage equality campaign.

THE FORMER mayor of Bundoran is heading the marriage equality campaign in Australia which is on the verge of making history.

Tiernan Brady is the executive director of Australians for Equality, the group leading the campaign to have same-sex marriage legalised ahead of the massive postal ballot which began in Australia this week.

Having initially been asked by Australian campaigners to travel down under to give talks on his work with the Irish marriage referendum, it wasn’t long before Mr Brady was asked to direct the entire campaign.

“It was originally supposed to be a few speeches, now I’ve been here 18 months and we’re getting close to the finishing line,” said the former Fianna Fail councillor, who said Australia, like many countries around the world, had been inspired by the Irish experience.

“It’s amazing how much I hear, everywhere I’ve travelled in Australia, how happy people were when they watched the scenes in Ireland two years ago. It’s a wonderful surprise.

“When you look at Ireland and you see this country that has taken a wonderful journey from being a really cold place for lesbian and gay people to being one of the top five countries in the world. And to have done it in 20 years. I was still criminalised when I was at college and I’m not that old.

“We’ve done the full journey, it’s incredible. People shouldn’t underestimate how much people admire what Ireland did and how much hope people take from it. People look at Ireland and say ‘this can happen anywhere, change is possible’. We sent a wonderful message to the world, not just about Ireland but about how you can make this happen anywhere.”

The votes have to be in within six weeks.

Mr Brady said the ballots for the Australian marriage equality survey which ask people whether they believe same-sex marriage should be legalised were this week being delivered to voters and have to be returned within the next six weeks. So far, things are looking good for the equality campaign.

“It’s been a long time coming to this point in Australia but we’re here now so we’ve got to put the final shoulder to the wheel and make sure we get it over the line. The polls are strong.

“One of the things I’ve noticed about Australia since coming here is how similar it is to home, so the polls are about the mid-60s, which is about the same as Northern Ireland and the Republic. Same people, same values. That doesn’t meant that will be the result, we have to make sure we get it over the line.”

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