SBS Doco

Australia Says YES

Australia Says Yes is an independent documentary that captures some of the campaigns for marriage equality in Australia. It aired on SBS on the one year anniversary of the historic decision. 

Packed with drama, high emotions and cliffhanger moments, Australia Says Yes shared some of the intimate and personal histories of five decades of struggle and perseverance that propelled Australia to finally say YES to marriage equality.

By Kirk Marcolina, a volunteer who worked on the campaign, the documentary records some of the decades-long battle to create a more equal nation, seen through personal reflections from five people involved at different points in time along the journey; behind-the-scenes moments revealing heartache, strategy and determination; and archival footage featuring key moments in this extraordinary struggle.

 

The trials and tribulations of the 2017 postal survey on marriage equality serve as the spine of the film. But the documentary looks at a broader history. From the history of facing arrest, imprisonment or even the death penalty simply for being gay, through to the nail-biting, life-changing results day of the Marriage Equality Survey, the film explores what has been at stake for so long for the LGBTIQ community.

The documentary focusses in on five personal reflection interviews from some of the advocates in the movement: long-time marriage equality activists Alex Greenwich, Dr Kerryn Phelps, Jackie Stricker-Phelps, and Peter de Waal and Peter “Bon” Bonsall-Boone who have been fighting for LGBTIQ people for decades; actress and comedian Magda Szubanski who took a personal and very public role in the struggle for equality; and grassroots campaigner Edie Shepherd, a gayby baby and co-founder of Blackfullas for Marriage Equality.

Australia Says Yes is an independent documentary; a presentation of Screen Australia and SBS Australia in association with Create NSW.