Australian supporters of marriage equality have picketed the electorate office of Opposition leader Tony Abbott to mark the signing into law of same-sex marriage by French President Francois Hollande.

Over 120 people gathered today outside Abbott’s Manly electorate office to highlight the fact that Australia is increasingly out of step with its international peers, with same-sex marriage legislation passing in New Zealand last month and France becoming the 14th country to allow same-sex couples.

Australian supporters of marriage equality have picketed the electorate office of Opposition leader Tony Abbott to mark the signing into law of same-sex marriage by French President Francois Hollande.

Over 120 people gathered today outside Abbott’s Manly electorate office to highlight the fact that Australia is increasingly out of step with its international peers, with same-sex marriage legislation passing in New Zealand last month and France becoming the 14th country to allow same-sex couples.

The mother of a transgender child in Queensland, Australia is fighting for her to be allowed to use the girls' toilets at her primary school.

The mother of four, who is not named to protect the identity of her children, said in an interview with The Sunday Mail (Queensland) that her nine-year-old has told her that she's a girl, not a boy, since she was four years old.

HIV positive gay men in Australia are being recruited for a study that will look at the value of an online program that offers them emotional and practical support.

The program, Positive Outlook, has been developed by Monash University's Human Research Ethics Committee in Melbourne. It is looking at how developing intimate online relationships with other people who are HIV positive can improve health.

What are the queer communities like in South America compared to Australia? Singapore compared to India? South Korea to Turkey? Recent college graduate Miyuki Baker is finding out by traveling the world in search of queer artists and activists, like herself.

After graduating from Pennsylvania-based liberal arts college Swarthmore, Baker won a $25,000 (US dollars, €19,000) Watson Fellowship that allows her to travel the world pursuing a particular project.

Australian Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has ruled out a free vote in the Australian Parliament on same-sex marriage before 2016 if he is elected Prime Minister and says that so few of his MPs would vote for it that it would not pass now.

'I don't think anyone should expect that this is necessarily going to come up in the next parliament,' Abbott told Fairfax newspapers.

A Catholic priest in Australia said committed gay relationships should be met with 'not just recognition but joy... that's the least we can offer people'.

Canberra-based priest Michael Fallon said in an interview with Canberra Times he feared ordinary people were being repulsed from the Catholic church by its hardline views on gay relationships.

Tasmania Gay & Lesbian Rights Group are trying to make this Saturday's election for the state's Upper House all about marriage equality.

The gay rights group are anxious to vote-out the Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs) who voted against legalizing same-sex marriage last September.

Voters will choose new MLCs in the electoral divisions of Nelson, Pembroke and Montgomery.

Former High Court judge and vocal gay rights advocate Michael Kirby spoke about discrimination against minority groups in Australia at a gathering for gay and lesbian business people in Brisbane last night.

Former High Court judge and vocal gay rights advocate Michael Kirby spoke about discrimination against minority groups in Australia at a gathering for gay and lesbian business people in Brisbane last night.

Australia's prime minister Julia Gillard and opposition leader Tony Abbott have ruled out a referendum on same-sex marriage in September.

Independent MP Tony Wilson yesterday suggested holding a referendum on the matter on the same day as the general election, 14 September.

Australian independent MP Tony Windsor has proposed that the nation say yes or no to gay marriage in a referendum in September.

Windsor suggests taking the issue 'out of the hands of the politicians' and letting the public vote on the issue on the day of the general election - 14 September.

The government is planning to hold a referendum on recognizing local government in the constitution on that day, so it would not be much of an extra cost to include an extra question on the ballot paper.