Opinion: Aussie votes Yes, but should it have had to?

People celebrate after the announcement of the same-sex marriage postal survey result in front of the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne yesterday. Photo / AAP

There's plenty to celebrate in the outcome of Australia's 'Yes' vote on gay marriage.

Nearly 8 million people gave their support to same-sex weddings, more than 60 per cent of the vote, and nearly 80 per cent of eligible voters had their say.

The question has clearly been answered. Do Australians want to allow same-sex partners to marry? Yes they do.

Great news. But should it have come to a vote? Should the majority be voting on whether a minority should enjoy a fundamental right?

It's 2017. A grown-up democracy in this day and age should already know the answer to the question of gay marriage without spending $100-odd million asking the people. Those leading the country need to show some flaming leadership.

A sample of the postal ballot on legalising gay marriage. File photo / AP

Just the fact the question was asked in a public plebiscite, putting the spotlight on the nation's gay community and questioning their legitimacy as equal citizens was damaging.

It was reported that support group ReachOut Australia had a 40 per cent surge in young gay people seeking help since the survey was announced.

Yes, the survey had a point, and now the politicians who will now vote on it know which way the wind is blowing the rainbow flags. But it's generally a cop-out for governments to take issues they're afraid to address head-on to referendum. This is one of those cop-outs. And an expensive one.

Perhaps one of the best effects of the 'Yes' vote will be the realisation that dawns on the anti-gay marriage crowd that they're in the minority. That most Australians disagree with them and that perhaps the world won't end if some strangers are allowed to marry the people they love.

New Zealand has had same-sex marriage for more than four years, and the sky hasn't fallen. The people have spoken. It's time for Australia to open its arms to gay marriage.