Crocodile Dundee backs same-sex marriage in Australia
Paul Hogan who starred in Crocodile Dundee has backed Australian marriage equality (Photo by YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/GettyImages)
Crocodile Dundee actor Paul Hogan has backed same-sex marriage legalisation in Australia.
Speaking at the Tour de Cure Snow Ball in Sydney over the weekend, the actor addressed the current debate over marriage equality in the country.
The 77-year-old said that he thought it was “stupid” that the country had not yet made equal marriage legal.
“Australians need to learn to mind their own business,” he said.
Hogan is one of many Australian celebrities who has spoken about the need for marriage equality.
The actor added: “I don’t get it, homophobia, that means a fear. I am not frightened of gay people, I like them.
“I don’t want to marry one, but I certainly don’t think it’s up to me on whether they should get married or not, that’s up to them.”
The country announced that it had set aside $170 million for a public vote on same-sex marriage last month.
Polls have shown favourability for marriage equality in the country for a long time, with most MPs and Senators also backing public opinion.
Conservative Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull pledged to hold the public plebiscite after narrowly winning the election last July.
However, a national vote is not necessary to legalise marriage equality and efforts to hold it have been rejected. Plebiscites are also not legally binding.
LGBT activists and opposition parties are also not supportive of the plebiscite over fears that the funding allocation is an unnecessary “fiscal risk”.
Turnbull has blocked parliamentary votes on the issue and is turning to the please ultra-conservative MPs in his party.
A report by ANZ Bank recently found that Australia was losing $550 million in same-sex marriage revenue to its neighbouring country, New Zealand.
As well as income generated by weddings, the bank said that Australia was losing out on edition services such as honeymoons and divorce lawyers.
