Senators from the three largest political factions in the Australian Parliament have today announced the formation of a cross-party working group to push for the legalization of same-sex marriage in Australia.

At around 10.30am this morning the Greens’ Senator Sarah Hason-Young, Liberal Senator Sue Boyce, and Labor Senator Louise Pratt signed a pledge of co-operation that will form the basis for the working group.

The signing was witnessed by several same-sex couples who have married in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) in the last few days – the legality of which will be decided by the High Court of Australia as soon as tomorrow.

Marriage equality advocates welcomed the launch of the new cross-party working group made up senators from the Australian Government, Opposition and the largest faction on the cross benches.

‘We are very happy to see supporters in all three parties coming together to move marriage equality forward,’ Australian Marriage Equality (AME) national director Rodney Croome said.

‘No one party can get marriage equality across the line so it is vital the supporters in each party work together. Marriage equality has moved forward under conservative governments in the UK, New Zealand and NSW thanks to cross-party co-operation.’

‘Marriage equality is not a matter of left or right, it is about love, commitment and family – values we all share.’

The news comes just days after senators from the ruling Liberal-National Coalition and Greens united to defeat a motion which would have set up a senate committee into holding a referendum on whether to ban same-sex marriage in the Australian Constitution – something the Opposition Labor Party has also now committed to oppose.