Little Rock, UNITED STATES
IN PHOTO: Gordon Satterly, 61, from Michigan (L) holds hands with his husband Richard Brand, 53, from Texas, at the International Gay Rodeo Association's Rodeo In the Rock party in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States April 24, 2015. Contestants at the International Gay Rodeo in Arkansas, a Bible Belt state with a same-sex marriage ban on its books, competed in events from barrel racing to bull riding on the soft soil of a fairground that looked like just any small-scale rodeo held throughout the United States. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule in June whether to strike down bans on gay marriage nationwide. Arkansas has been one of the front-line states in the battle between cultural conservatives and those seeking expanded rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

Wayne Swan, former Australia's Deputy Prime Minister, flipped flopped on his disposition regarding same-sex marriage, opting for affirmation this time, according to a report. In 2012, Swan strongly opposed the same-sex marriage when the reform bill reached the Parliament.

In an announcement made thru media, Swan admitted he had a hard time reconciling his clashing views on same-sex marriage and social and economic equality. In the end though, he concluded his prior opposition against marriage between same sexes was wrong.

Figures on Australian Marriage Equality (AME) indicate that advocates only need four more votes for a same-sex marriage bill to survive in the House of Representatives. Advocates are confident the bill will similarly garner majority of votes when it reaches the senate.

Labor MPs such as Bernie Ripoll, Chris Bowen and Ed Husic recently announced backing of same-sex marriage. AME also said at the start of 2015, 13 more unnamed Coalition MPs expressed their support. In total, there are 72 MPs in the lower house supporting reform in marriage equality.

AME further remarked that the reform bill will have an estimated 39 supporters when it reaches the senate, assuming of course the Liberal MPs would have a free vote. Rodney Croome, national director for AME, commented that few Coalition MPs who publicly indicated support for same-sex marriage was only the “tip of an iceberg of support,” hinting that their cause has a “good chance of passing” should there be a cross-party free vote.

“As in the Senate, where our figures show a majority of one, the hurdle is the lack of a Coalition conscience vote. It is untenable for a party to continue to bind its members to an oppositional stance, when more and more of them support the reform,” News Corp quoted Croome, adding that the real hindrance is Liberal Party’s refusal to allow conscience vote.

Croome was hopeful that before 2015 ends, there would be marriage equality among Australians. “I am optimistic that marriage equality has a good chance of passing in this term of government. The figures show that we are close now, and I can only see support increasing over the next few months,” Croome said.

For comments or feedback on the article, contact the writer at kizmet@ymail.com.

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