If Julia Gillard thought that ignoring the Equal Love protest at yesterday’s ALP State Conference could brush aside the topic of same-sex marriage, she’d have thought wrong.

There is no denying the wheels of change are turning today as Marriage Equality is now firmly on the agenda. Today the Queensland ALP State Conference passed a motion calling on both the Federal Labor Party and ALP National Conference to support same-sex marriage.

Last year Anna Bligh shared her support for same-sex marriage, and today prominent State Government Ministers supported and spoke in favour of the motion, including Treasurer Andrew Fraser and Community Services Minister Karen Struthers.

Similar motions have been passed in Tasmania, South Australia, and a motion in support of marriage equality still stands in Victoria. The ALP Women’s network was recently added to the list of those passing a motion of support for marriage equality. Current polling has found 66 percent of Queenslanders support marriage equality, as do 74 percent of ALP voters, while 75 percent of Queensland residents expect that same-sex marriage will become law in Australia.

Jessica Payne from Equal Love confirms to Same Same that the ALP conference called on the Federal government to support amending the marriage act to remove its homophobic content.  ”QLD now joins Tasmania and South Australia in supporting a change to ALP policy, and will most likely be followed by similar motions being passed in the rest of the states,” she adds.

“The campaign for marriage equality continues to go from strength to strength.  Majority support in the broader community has been won.  3/4 of Australians think this is an issue that can and should be resolved very soon.  Within the ranks of the Labor Party, Gillard and those who share her views are becoming increasingly isolated.  Whether Gillard gives into the popular pressure is a question still up in the air.  It is up to all of us to continue to put on that pressure leading up the ALP conference.

“Equal Love had a lively contingent of supporters outside the conference all day yesterday,” Payne says. “We were able to hold loud and vibrant demonstrations, speak to the delegates and even protest Gillard as she drove into the building.  It was worthwhile having a presence at the conference as a reminder to all inside that this is an ongoing fighting campaign that is not going away until there is full equality.”

While today’s decision is a step in the right direction, the battle is far from over. Equal Love will be holding a same-sex marriage rally on the anniversary of the the ban, August 13 at 1pm at Queens Park, and Jessica is also encouraging people to attend the national Equal Love mobilisation that is taking place in Sydney during the ALP National Conference on December 2 and 3.

As a new active participant in the fight for equal marriage rights, I encourage everyone to support the cause, regardless of whether or not you hope for a day when you can marry a partner of the same sex. Marriage equality is not only a massive hurdle for LGBTI rights, but a significant step forward on the path to equality on a larger scale.