An 18-year-old drag queen has sashayed her way to global fame on New Zealand’s version of The X Factor.

With a vivacious personality and a voice to back it up, Ashley Tonga impressed in her first audition.

Singing ‘Proud Mary’, she sold it all the way down the river and had the judges clamoring for more.

Looking at the 200,000 plus views in just two days, it’s clear that while she may not be the most polished singer, she’s a great entertainer.

New Zealand has shown recently it is no stranger to viral videos.

A Tasmanian Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) has tabled a motion to bring back a Same-Sex Marriage Bill to the state parliament.

Six months ago Tasmania's Upper House rejected a bill proposing to legalize same-sex marriage in the Australian state, after it had passed in the Lower House.

Today independent MLC Ruth Forrest tabled a motion to bring back the Bill. If the motion is supported the Bill could be debated again later in the year.

Over 7,500 submissions were made into a New South Wales (NSW) state parliament inquiry into the possibility of legalizing same-sex marriage under state law while the Australian Government refuses to move on the issue.

The number of submissions made was the most ever received by a parliamentary inquiry and was more than three times bigger than the previous record holder.

Australian advocates for marriage equality welcomed the overwhelming support for marriage equality demonstrated by the number of submissions.

High profile Australian supporters of marriage equality have joined forces to encourage people to talk about the importance of letting gays and lesbians marry when they spend time with family this holiday season.

A new online video campaign by advocacy group Australian Marriage Equality (AME) features Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings, Labor Senator Louise Pratt, Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, former Australian Medical Association head Professor Kerryn Phelps, independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich and NSW Greens Legislative Council member Cate Faehrmann.

Nearly a thousand people marched for marriage equality in central Sydney on Sunday, with thousands more marching in other cities over the weekend.

Speakers at the rally included New South Wales (NSW) state Upper House Greens MP Cate Faehrmann, Australian Marriage Equality (AME) national convener Rodney Croome and Vietnam veteran and father to a gay son Jeff Thomas who has previously challenged the Australian Prime Minister and Opposition Leader to explain their opposition on live TV.

The government of Fiji has responded to claims by protestors at Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in Sydney who said yesterday there are no gay rights in the Pacific islands nation.

Three protestors climbed onto the roof at the immigration center yesterday. One protestor, Sai Bulewa said gay people have no rights in Fiji and they fear abuse.

The campaign to legalize same-sex marriage in Australia has welcomed the election of Australia's first member of Parliament in a same-sex marriage.

Former Australian Marriage Equality (AME) national convener Alex Greenwich was elected on Saturday to the state of New South Wales’ (NSW) Lower House in a by-election in the seat of Sydney.

Greenwich married long term partner Victor Hoeld in Argentina in May this year.

The current convener of AME, Rodney Croome, welcomed his election.

A coalition of New Zealand churches will use their Sunday sermons throughout September to urge parishioners to campaign against same-sex couples gaining the right to marry.

With only three weeks left for submissions to be accepted by the New Zealand Parliament on a bill to legalize same-sex marriage, the New Zealand Christian Network has asked members to write submissions opposed to the reform.

The Anglican Archbishop of Sydney has caused offence by backing comments that smoking is better for your health than being gay said by head of Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) last week.

Archbishop Peter Jensen was asked about the controversial comments during last night's Q&A political discussion program on ABC TV.

‘I am generally supportive of ACL, I have to say,’ Jensen said. ‘Rightly or wrongly he [Head of ACL Jim Wallace] has given us an opportunity to talk about something significant, namely the question of health risks.’

A private members bill to legalize same-sex marriage which has been tabled by Australian Government senators has been labelled ‘farcical’ and a waste of time by the far-right anti-gay Australian Christian Lobby.

Labor Senators Louise Pratt, Gavin Marshall, Carol Brown and Trish Crossin introduced the private members bill yesterday.

A Greens party bill on the issue was already before the Senate so the move by Government senators may be an attempt to claim ownership of the issue if the issue has enough support to pass through the parliament.

The Pacific island nation of Fiji was due to celebrate it’s first ever march for gay rights today, but the IDAHO (International Day Against Homophobia) event was cancelled at the last minute by police.

Oceania Pride, the organisers of the march said that they received a permit last month but the police told them this morning that tonight’s march would have to be cancelled.