The touching moment when a man proposed to his boyfriend immediately after Australia voted in support of gay marriage has been caught on camera.
Nearly two-thirds of Australians voted in support of gay marriage ensuring that the country's Parliament will begin considering legalising same-sex weddings this year.
Thousands of people gathered in parks across Australia waiting to hear the results of the postal vote, celebrating when the news came through.
James Brechney and his partner Stuart Henshall were celebrating in Sydney’s Prince Alfred Park with friends and family when the result was announced.
“We’ve been fighting for this for so long, we’ve done rallies together, we’ve chalked rainbows and it’s been really amazing," Mr Brechney told the 9News channel. "We’ve been together for two and a half years, and it’s just been a journey for us.”
Turning to his partner, he added: “Stuart, I love you with all my heart and I want to tell you something in front of the cameras."
Then he got down on one knee and proposed.
Mr Henshall said yes and the couple kissed in front of the camera, before a waving Mr Brechney said: “Oh how embarrassing on TV – hello auntie!”
The Australian Bureau of Statistics said that 62 per cent of registered voters who responded to the unprecedented mail survey favoured marriage reform.
Australia’s conservative government has promised to allow a bill creating marriage equality to be considered in parliament before Christmas.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, a vocal advocate of marriage equality, called on politicians to heed the "overwhelming" result and to commit to legislate for gay marriage by next month.
"They voted yes for fairness, they voted yes for commitment, they voted yes for love," Mr Turnbull told reporters.
"Now it is up to us here in the Parliament of Australia to get on with it, to get on with the job the Australian people have tasked us to do and get this done this year before Christmas — that must be our commitment."
Additional reporting by AP
