Mums’ fears could sink same-sex marriage push

SUPPORT for same-sex marriage is falling, and a new poll shows it’s mums who are losing faith, writes Miranda Devine.

WITH five weeks to go in the Same Sex Marriage postal plebiscite, the Yes vote is in free fall, especially among mothers, according to large-scale polling by the No campaign, revealed exclusively here.

Support for changing the Marriage Act has dropped to 51 per cent over the first four weeks of the campaign, with the No vote rising to 37 per cent.

The poll of 1200 people was taken on September 25, and has a margin of error of 2.5 per cent. It reflects a similar trajectory to a recent Newspoll.

The momentum suggests the possibility of a shock defeat for gay marriage, although figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics yesterday show almost 60 per cent of voters have already cast their ballot, so time may be running out.

But one of the crucial issues swaying voters appears to be the link to Safe Schools and gender issues, which the No campaign has been highlighting in its ads, featuring young mums.

No Polling shows the “mother” demographic has had the most profound change of heart.

It began at 70 percent support for gay marriage in August and has collapsed to just 50 percent. That’s a 20 percent drop in four weeks.

This contrasts to rosy research released by the Yes campaign this week, saying almost 80 per cent of women plan to vote yes.

When it comes to how voters feel about Safe Schools, No polling shows 65 per cent of voters do not think “Young children should be taught to explore gender attitudes”.

That’s up from 60 per cent in August, which shows the No campaign is hitting its mark.

Its most recent Facebook ad features Canadian dad Steve Tourloukis, who has just lost his seven year legal battle to pull his children out of Safe Schools-style classes at their local school.

The ad has had 1.3 million Facebook views.

I asked Tourloukis this week on the phone from his home in Ontario to explain why the legalisation of gay marriage would affect parental rights.

He says in Canada, where same-sex marriage was legalised in 2005, children in public schools must be taught to “celebrate” LGBTIQ sexuality, and parents have no right to object. Any assertion that heterosexual relationships are the norm is labelled bigotry.

He cites examples of students being told to hold mock gay weddings in social studies classes and Year 6 children being taught mandatory lessons about sex toys and group sex.

“I’ve been watching the debate in Australia and it’s so frustrating,” said the 44-year-old dentist, whose children are now aged 13 and 11.

“People in Australia are being misled into thinking a Yes vote will have little or no effect on people who are not in a same-sex marriage.

“But kids are being exposed to inappropriate materials and parents have lost their rights.

“In Canada we were naive… But Australians have an opportunity to choose their future”.

Whether there is a link between same-sex marriage and Safe Schools classes is one of the most contentious aspects of our postal plebiscite debate.

But Tourloukis says the link has specifically been made by the teachers’ union which has been opposing him in court.

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario argued in court that since gay marriage is now the law, teachers are legally obliged to teach children not just to “tolerate” the LGBTQ lifestyle but to “celebrate” it.

A judge found Tourloukis’ rights had been violated with regard to choosing what his children should be taught, but the violation was “reasonable” because of the obligation of public schools to foster “inclusivity”.

When it came to competing rights, parents lost in Canada.