Australia: Labor Leader Bill Shorten Files Legislation To Legalize Same-Sex Marriage

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Labor leader Bill Shorten has filed a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Australia:

"Let this law reflect the nation we all want to see in the mirror," the Labor leader said. "Generous, smart, modern, diverse and above all, equal."

Mr Shorten's wife, Chloe, watched from the public galleries as he delivered a short speech, introducing a bill that would change the definition of marriage to "the union of two people".

Labor senators Penny Wong and Katy Gallagher and ACT chief minister Andrew Barr were also in the chamber.

But despite the strong Labor showing, the Coalition side of the House of Representatives was almost empty, with less than a handful of government MPs in attendance.