The re-legalization of same-sex marriage in California pushed the number of people living in jurisdictions where all couples can marry north of 600 million last week – representing 8.6 percent, or almost 1 in 10 people, on Earth.

The calculation was made by Melbourne Ports Residents for Marriage Equality lobby group spokesman Tony Pitman.

‘What this shows it that marriage equality is not just a temporary fad,’ Pitman told GSN.

‘It’s a wave of equality that’s sweeping the globe. It’s a fundamental human rights reform that’s an inevitable part of social progress.’

‘It’s clearly inevitable here in Australia as well. Any Australian politician who says that this is an issue that will just go away is either seriously deluded or lying.’

With England and Wales set to introduce marriage equality soon and with more and more US states coming on board, the figure is set to climb even higher over the coming months.

And the mood on the issue within the Australian Government looks set to improve with 80% of the Cabinet of new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd being public supporters of marriage equality.

‘With our Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and 80% of the Cabinet all behind marriage equality, there has never been more support in government for this reform than there is today,’ Australian Marriage Equality national director Rodney Croome said.

‘Such strong government support for marriage equality widens the point of difference with Tony Abbott’s Opposition and places increases pressure on Mr Abbott to close the policy gap by allowing his party a conscience vote.’

Of the thirty Cabinet ministers sworn in today all but six are supporters of marriage equality.