It's time for me to call it a day. What happened?
- same-sex marriage has been legalised in Australia;
- the House of Representatives passed the legislation shortly before 6 pm;
- this means both houses of Parliament have agreed to the legislation;
- the change to the Marriage Act means Australia is the 26th country to legalise same-sex marriage;
- couples can lodge their notice to marry from this Saturday (9 December);
- this means there will be weddings from 9 January, 2018.
My thanks to Alex Ellinghausen and Nick Moir for all their superb work today and to you for reading and commenting.
You can follow me on Facebook.
That's it from Alex and me for the year. And what a year it's been. We wish you and your loved ones all the very best for Christmas and the New Year. We'll see you when Parliament returns on 5 February, 2018.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is now speaking on the ABC's 7.30.
"I am so proud that this has occurred while I'm Prime Minister, while the Liberal and National parties are in government," Mr Turnbull says.
He is asked where is ranks in terms of human rights achievements.
"You couldn't rank them," Mr Turnbull says, and adds it is significant is comes 50 years after the 1967 referendum.
We did it, Australia! #marriageequality pic.twitter.com/M8HVI4hhdn
— Dean Smith (@DeanSmithWA) December 7, 2017
The first day couples will be able to get married is January 9, 2018.
Here’s the actual #MarriageEquality Bill - passed, signed and delivered to the Senate just now! 🌈❤️ Congratulations Australia!! pic.twitter.com/LaD8UHiFup
— Sarah Hanson-Young🌈 (@sarahinthesen8) December 7, 2017
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is speaking on television.
"What a day for love," he says.
"What a unifying day."
"This has been a very tough issue which has eluded parties and governments for a long time. I am the first Prime Minister to unequivocally support same-sex marriage, but this is a complex issue."
"We had to bring people together. The way we did that was by respecting everybody."
![Magda Szubanski and Ian Thorpe at Parliament House on Thursday night.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180101065517im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/0/x/f/3/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.h00xcm.png/1512636296829.jpg)
Parliament House is just a massive party at the moment.
Champagne is flowing and people are just so happy.
Greens senator Janet Rice has only a few words to say: "About bloody time."
Magda Szubanski says: "I am a little bit delirious, it is extraordinary. I am single, I can't....Well, now I can get married. I did not do this as a big personal ad, but what an extraordinary moment."
"I could see when I watched all of those people moved to the 'yes' side of the house, I thought Canberra was going to tip over, and for someone who grew up feeling on the brink of suicide, seriously, as so many of us have because we have felt unwanted, unlike, we fell below, to feel so loved now and to see that Parliament nearly tip over in support for us was an amazing feeling."
![The House of Representatives as it votes for same-sex marriage on Thursday.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180101065517im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/0/w/n/v/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.h00wyi.png/1512636035127.jpg)
Liberal senator Dean Smith is speaking: "This is a great win for Australian values.The survey said a lot about people's attitudes to same-sex marriage, it said a lot about their attitudes about Australian values and how they should be applied in a contemporary way. I am proud to be a parliamentarian, I have always wanted to be a parliamentarian. Even when I was that nerdy kid at school."
"People can be proud that over the last few weeks, they have seen the best of their Parliament, the best of their parliamentarians, as I said before, the real challenge going forward is to think about how we can do this more often, how we can do this more often, how we can put the politics of partisanship aside."
"I would like to dedicate the day's win to a special group of people, and that is to those young LGBTQI Australians, who in their workplace or in their school yard, find life a little tough. Let me tell you, 'you are OK, it will all be OK, and this is a great country to grow up and be an LGBTQI Australian'."
Attorney-General George Brandis has some important information for people wanting to get married.
"The right to marry in Australia will no longer be determined by sex or gender. Marriage will now be defined in the Marriage Act 1961 as the 'union of two people to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life'. Same-sex couples now have the same rights under the Marriage Act as all other couples," Senator Brandis says.
"These historic reforms will commence on Saturday 9 December 2017. As from Saturday, same-sex couples will be able to lodge a Notice of Intended Marriage to commence the one month minimum notice period required before the solemnisation of marriages under the Marriage Act."
This means THE FIRST WEDDINGS WILL BE HELD JUST A FEW DAYS INTO THE NEW YEAR.
![Liberal MP Warren Entsch lifts Labor MP Linda Burney into the air after the same-sex marriage vote in the House of ...](http://web.archive.org./web/20180101065517im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/0/w/e/i/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.h00wmm.png/1512641472301.jpg)
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten gets caught up in the party atmosphere outside the chamber: "I felt I was privileged to be part of a historic change which includes treating all Australians
equally."
"I'm humbled by the event. This isn't about me or the other 150 members of Parliament. It is about Australians and Australia, and the LGBTIQ people and their families and their partners. We are telling them we love you, you're equal."
![Crossbench MPs Rebekha Sharkie, Andrew Wilkie, Adam Bandt and Cathy McGowan in the House of Representatives after the vote.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180101065517im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/0/v/n/v/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.h00vyy.png/1512636001874.jpg)
The House of Representatives (and, therefore, the Australian Parliament) has voted in favour of same-sex marriage.
The house and public galleries are full of cheers, shouts, applause, hugs, kisses and general jubilation.
![Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in the House of Representatives after the vote to ...](http://web.archive.org./web/20180101065517im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/0/v/m/a/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.h00vgt.png/1512630739820.jpg)
The final vote is being held.
The MPs voting against the legislation are Russell Broadbent, Keith Pitt, David Littleproud and Bob Katter.
Because there are less than five MPs voting no the legislation is declared passed.
Tony Abbott left the chamber before the final vote.
![Russell Broadbent and Bob Katter vote against the same-sex marriage legislation in the House of Representatives.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180101065517im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/0/v/j/8/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.h00vf0.png/1512636847226.jpg)
Greens MP Adam Bandt says: "What a big day for love because, despite the years of bigotry and hate, and despite the years of violence and lies, and the ignorance and fear, love has won and it is time to pop the bubbly. I'm going to keep it short and sweet. Because it is time to let the bells ring and let the people sing because love has won!"
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says: "Australia, we are going to make marriage equality a reality in minutes. The Australia of tomorrow begins with what we do today. At long last, LGBTIQ
Australians will be equal under the law."
"And those of in Parliament privileged to serve, we understand that we do so with humility. The humility to recognise that the passage of this law does not in essence belong to us, but the credit for the passage of this law belongs to all Australians and I say to those who voted no, I recognise that now is the time for healing, to put this debate behind us."
"And when this law is passed, we should declare that we are no longer a nation of people who voted no. Or people who voted yes. We are simply Australians one and all. And I said to LGBTIQ Australians in particular, you have given us a gift. This Parliament, when we passed the marriage equality law, is not a gift from us to LGBTIQ Australians,equality is never a gift to be given. Equality isn't in our legal birthright of every Australian and this equality is long overdue."
"I say the gift that LGBTIQ Australians have given all of us is that we are a nation who includes all of our people, who values all relationships and all families, that we are a better nation altogether. So, as it is written that there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens, it is now time to heal. A time to build, a time to love, a time to love, and is now at last a time for marriage equality."
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is speaking: "What a day! What a day for love, for quality, for respect! Australia has done it."
"The Parliament has got on with it and we have voted today for a equality, for love, it is time for more marriages, more commitment, more love, more respect, and we
respect every Australian who was voted, those who voted yes, and those who voted no, this belongs to us all, this is Australia!"
"Let's do it, let's finalise the deal right now!"
The house and public gallery has erupted into applause - the legislation has note quite been passed yet.
The amendments are defeated 63 votes to 70.
The bill has been agreed to.
![Senator Penny Wong and Labor MP Tanya Plibersek talk during the marriage debate.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180101065517im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/0/u/n/o/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.h00uz7.png/1512629415052.jpg)
In the Senate, 57 senators spoke for nearly 28 hours on the same-sex marriage debate.
The House of Representatives has devoted 28 hours (so far) to the debate and 118 MPs have spoken.
Not long to go now.
Stick with it people. You don't often get to see history being made.
![Labor senator Penny Wong blows a kiss to same-sex marriage supporters in the Speaker's gallery during debate on the ...](http://web.archive.org./web/20180101065517im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/0/u/0/r/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.h00u9e.png/1512628412789.jpg)
Senators Penny Wong and Dean Smith arrive in the House of Representatives.
Senator Wong was a co-signatory to the bill the house is debating which was written by Senator Smith.
![Senators Penny Wong and Dean Smith enter the House of Representatives.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180101065517im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/0/t/q/c/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.h00u03.png/1512628116744.jpg)
Although we are still on the final set of amendments we are in the final stages.
The amendments will be defeated.
Once that has happened the house will move the bill stand as printed (this should happen on the voices with no need for a formal vote).
Then it will move the bill be read a third time. This is the final vote.
This will take about ten minutes for MPs to come into the chamber to vote and for the votes to be counted.
![Senators George Brandis, Marise Payne and Simon Birmingham watch the Marriage Amendment Bill debate in the House of ...](http://web.archive.org./web/20180101065517im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/0/t/d/c/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.h00tkv.png/1512627670282.jpg)
Mr Abbott says it's fine if this amendment delays the bill by a few hours, because people can entertain themselves at the parliamentary bar (which doesn't exist anymore).
Sydney MP Trent Zimmerman speaks against the amendments and thanks Mr Abbott for offering to pick up the tab.
"I was the first openly gay MP [in the House of Reprensentatives]....I suspect I was not the only gay in the village in the 100 plus years [of Parliament]."
![Greens Senators Sarah Hanson-Young, Janet Rice, Richard Di Natale and Nick McKim during debate on the Marriage Amendment ...](http://web.archive.org./web/20180101065517im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/0/t/d/3/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.h00sct.png/1512627509632.jpg)
The second group of Mr Broad's amendments are being voted on.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has reappeared in the chamber to vote for them.
The amendments are defeated 85 votes to 60.
There is one final lot of amendments to go. Liberal MP Sarah Henderson only added hers on a little while ago. They mirror those moved by Attorney-General George Brandis in the Senate last week which were defeated.
Tony Abbott is speaking in support of them. He says he will speak "very slowly".
Mr Turnbull is still in the chamber.
![Former prime minister Tony Abbott speaks in the House of Representatives.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180101065517im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/0/s/i/0/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.h00rsc.png/1512627322696.jpg)
Ministers Christopher Pyne and Kelly O'Dwyer are doing exactly what they said they would and voting against all the amendments.
![Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull helps load the van with gifts from the Kmart Wishing Tree on Thursday.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180101065517im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/0/p/s/m/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.h00qn9.png/1512624508240.jpg)
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