Campaigner who steered Ireland’s ‘yes’ vote to success offers Irish know-how for Australian marriage equality push

When it comes to delivering Australia’s ‘Ireland moment’ on marriage equality, Irish political and LGBT rights and equality campaigner Tiernan Brady knows better than almost anyone what this will take.

Irish marriage equality campaigner Tiernan Brady is spearheading Australia’s ‘vote yes’ push. Picture: Keri Megelus

It’s been said that the coming postal survey on same-sex marriage is Australia’s chance to have its “Ireland moment” — a resounding “yes” vote reminiscent of the introduction of marriage equality to the Irish people in 2015.

So when it comes to this moment, Irish political and LGBT rights and equality campaigner Tiernan Brady, who was instrumental in steering the yes campaign, knows better than almost anyone what this will take.

While there is momentum building, “progress is not inevitable, it has to be won and won hard because nothing is less inevitable than progress”, Mr Brady said.

Mr Brady said that despite the rhetoric the process needed to be a unifying, rather than divisive one. Picture: Keri Megelus

Mr Brady, who moved to Sydney to take up the role as director of Australians for Equality, said there was a lot to be translated from the Irish campaign to Australia.

“I think what strikes you is how similar the values are between the Irish and Australian people. They believe in fairness and equality for all, not just on this issue, it’s how we’re hardwired,” Mr Brady said.

“We’re both very social people — most decisions are made over a few bottles of beer and we have just enough healthy disrespect of authority.”

There are some significant differences though — the “no” side “is a nastier tone ... it’s already got pretty ugly and disrespectful”, Mr Brady said.

“Every day (the campaign goes on) the ‘no’ side tries to make it look like the issue is about something else, they have a deliberately misleading strategy,” Mr Brady said.

The no side in Australia is also “phenomenally well funded and will radically outfund the ‘yes’ side, which wasn’t the case in Ireland”, he said.

A marriage equality rally will be held at Sydney Town Hall on Sunday.

One of the most important things to hold on to despite the rhetoric is the need for the process to be a unifying, rather than divisive one, he said.

“What made the Irish moment was that this was a campaign determined to bring the country together, it can’t be about winners and losers,” Mr Brady said.

“What we kept in mind here and in Ireland was that winning is not the same as beating somebody. Equality for lesbians and gays doesn’t mean beating people — and it’s counter-productive to think that way because we all have to share the same country the next day.”

Speaking ahead of the marriage equality rally on Sunday, Mr Brady said the event was not the high point of the campaign, but the beginning.

“It’s really powerful for people to come together, but the next question is, what do you do as soon as it’s over,” he said.

“That job is for everyone who turns out to that to open their phones and not go to bed until every single person in their phonebook has been called.”