Same-sex marriage postal survey: what are we really voting for?

Same-sex marriage postal survey: what are we really voting for?

A WOMAN says she just wanted to cry after seeing a rainbow flag put up in support of same-sex marriage defaced with a swastika.

Jessica Lette-Garvey posted photos on Facebook of swastikas spray-painted on to a fence outside her house and over a rainbow flag with the comment: “I would never imagine that by simply showing support for equality would I be met with such vitriol. I can’t help but just want to cry”.

In the comments Ms Lette-Garvey confirmed the graffiti was left outside her house and on the houses on her corner who had rainbow flags.

The post was greeted with disgust by others on Facebook.

“Truly, truly awful,” one woman wrote in response.

Others described it as “disgusting”, “outrageous” and “saddening”.

“I’m so angry I lack words,” another woman wrote.

Ms Lette-Garvey’s husband Joel Garvey said the police had been informed.

“Spoken to a few Neighbours. everyone is shocked. What a classy way to debate something. Thanks Australian government for letting people remain bigots,” he wrote.

“The worst part was a young guy who came past and was going to commend us for having the flag out until he saw the graffiti. He was visually upset and we chatted briefly. I told him that there was no way that we where taking down the flag. He left with a smile.”

Mr Garvey said some of his neighbours had offered to help and the graffiti had since been removed or covered.

“People stopping in their cars and giving sympathy and saying their voting yes. Removing spray paint isn’t hard. Standing up for what you believe in is what you should do.

“Nothing about this holds any comparison to the people in our society who don’t have the right to marry the one they love. Vote Yes and don’t back down.”

Details of the graffiti come after a particularly divisive week of campaigning for the same-sex marriage survey that featured assaults and the sacking of a No voter.

It’s also emerged that same-sex marriage surveys are being sent to dead people in Australia as concerns over vote tampering continue.

There have already been reports of dumped and stolen ballots, and others have been bragging online about voting for the survey more than once.

The problem has become a rising issue for the campaign after residents did not update their address on the electoral roll in time, which has seen their surveys posted to their old addresses.

But Facebook user Catherine Beasley drew attention to another issue after she got her surveys in the mail.

“Got our postal surveys. Including one for the former owner of the house ... who died eight years ago,” Ms Beasley posted.

It comes after a Melbourne mum found a stash of about 17 apparently stolen envelopes hidden in the grass by her daughter’s cubby house.

RELATED: What to do if your survey hasn’t arrived

The ABS has warned Australians not to open or take mail that isn’t their own.

“The ABS warns Australians, theft or tampering with mail is a criminal offence and carries serious penalties,” an ABS spokesperson said.

“If someone suspects that mail has been stolen or has witnessed mail tampering they should report it to their local police.”

Meanwhile the Yes campaign has warned its supporters that they shouldn’t get complacent about winning as the latest Newspoll found support had dropped five percentage points in just two weeks.

The poll published in The Australian found support for same-sex marriage had fallen from 62 per cent to 57 per cent.

“I think that the biggest threat to the Yes campaign’s success is people assuming that this is in the bag because they know that a majority of Australians support marriage equality and they think, ‘well, my vote won’t matter ... everybody else will post back their Yes vote’,” acting Labor leader Tanya Plibersek told ABC TV on Sunday.

“Apathy is the biggest risk here.”

Both sides of the debate have ramped up their campaigning in recent days.

The Coalition for Marriage launched its Victorian No campaign on Saturday night, with the event crashed by two women who kissed on stage, lips remaining locked as they were dragged off by security.

The Yes side has started doorknocking tens of thousands of homes across the nation and raised eyebrows with an SMS campaign.

The tactic had many wondering how the campaigners got their phone numbers, but Equality Campaign’s Queensland director Peter Black defended the action.

“We are doing everything we can in our power to reach the Australian public,” he said in Brisbane on Sunday.

“The numbers were computer generated, there’s been no privacy invasion at all,” he said.

Ms Plibersek condemned bad behaviour on both sides — citing the same-sex marriage supporter who headbutted Tony Abbott in Hobart and the person who beat up Kevin Rudd’s godson for standing up for marriage equality.

But people “getting their goat up” about the Yes text messages was “ridiculous”.

“We didn’t want this postal survey to happen. And then, when the Yes campaign actually goes out and campaigns ... the No campaign is saying that it is really unfair that people are urging a Yes vote,” she said.

Mr Hunt said while the news focused on “the margins and the extremes” most Australians were forming their own opinions.

“I actually think there is likely to be a moderation of the extremes because they’ve been called out,” he said.

“The message for those who are campaigning for Yes is make this about people’s right to marry and make this about acceptance.”

The Bureau of Statistics advises anyone yet to receive a form by late on Monday to contact them.

Telephone and online responses also open Monday.

The result of the voluntary postal survey on same-sex marriage is due on November 15.

— With AAP