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Australian MP proposes to partner during gay marriage debate

By Sara Shayanian

Dec. 4 (UPI) -- A Liberal MP in Australia proposed to his partner during a gay marriage debate on the floor of Parliament on Monday.

Tim Wilson was giving a speech on same-sex marriage when he turned to the public gallery to propose to Ryan Patrick Bolger.

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"There's only one thing left to do. Ryan Patrick Bolger, will you marry me?" Wilson asked.

Bolger, smiling, said "Yes."

Although the two have considered themselves to be engaged for years, the legislation would allow them to marry in the near future.

Wilson said during his speech that LGBT Australians would be "full citizens for the first time" after the legislation passes, despite his own Liberal party's attempt to delay the process.

"They have been prepared to discard numerous principles -- parliamentary supremacy, representative democracy, our party's tradition of a free vote, fiscal prudence and free speech," Wilson said.

"I take great pride in being able to say at every single occasion I stood up and defended our institutions, traditions and freedoms ahead of the politics of the day."

Australia is preparing to legalize gay marriage this week after a vote in which 62 percent of people supported the change.

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The legislation was passed last week in the Senate and now goes to the House of Representatives.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he was the country's first leader to be "consistently in support of legalizing same-sex marriage."

"Let's be honest with each other, the threat to traditional marriage is not from gay people but a lack of loving commitment, whether found in the form of neglect, indifference, cruelty or adultery," Turnbull said.

"Co-dependency is a good thing and gay people are better off together than living alone comforted only by their respective cats."

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