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.

In time for the Mardi Gras festival, road crossings on Oxford Street, in the centre of Sydney have been painted rainbow colors.

The rainbow crossings were proposed by Mayor Clover Moore who got the idea from a similar initiative in West Hollywood.

The revelation that Australian diver Matthew Mitcham was addicted to crystal meth, disclosed in his autobiography released this week, has shocked many, but that’s only one ordeal that he has overcome in his 24-years.

Raised by a single mother in Brisbane, Mitcham didn’t meet his father until he was an adult. His mother Vivienne struggled financially and they lived for six months without electricity when Mitcham was six-years-old.

Former marriage equality campaigner Alex Greenwich is neck-and-neck with another gay candidate, Shayne Mallard, in the campaign for the Sydney by-election.

The poll comissioned by Greenwich shows his first foray into politics is off to a promising start, after recieving a full endorsement from former Sydney MP Clover Moore.

The results of the poll show that Greenwich, standing as an independent, and the Liberal party's Mallard would both get 31% of the primary vote, with Greens candidate Chris Harris trailing at 25%.

Four years ago, gay Australian Matthew Mitcham shocked the world when he won gold on the 10m diving platform in the Beijing Olympics.

Receiving the highest score for a single dive in Olympic history at the time, Mitcham not only dispelled myths about gay men in sport but set the bar higher for every other athlete.

The Chinese were heavily favored in the 2008 event, and Mitcham was behind Zhou Luxin by about 35 points going into the final dive.

But then Mitcham hit a score of 112.10 on his sixth and final dive to win by just over three points.

Australian country singer Beccy Cole will come out publicly as a lesbian for the first time in televised interview tonight.

Cole was interviewed with her two country singer friends, Kasey Chambers and Gina Jeffreys, for Australian Story, a regular program on national TV channel ABC.

‘I think for years Beccy has had this secret, that she really does want people to know about but didn’t really know when was the right time and how to do it too,’ Jeffreys says on the program.

An impassioned debate about gay marriage in the parliament of the Australian state of New South Wales that started today has been adjourned till next week so that more politicians can air their views.

The debate was started by a motion by Greens Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) Cate Faehrmann that calls on the federal government to legalise same-sex marriage.

At the end of the debate next Thursday there will be a vote on the issue but even if those in favor of same-sex marriage win, it will not bring in any legislation.

According to an exclusive report released by the Sydney Morning Herald today, the former Australian Liberal cabinet minister, Mal Brough, admits urging James Ashby to seek legal help over the alleged sexual harassment he received from his then boss, Peter Slipper.

As reported by GSN, according to Mr Ashby, over the course of his employment Mr Slipper had asked sexually graphic questions, misused taxi vouchers and sent him inappropriate text messages.

Australian Olympic diver Matthew Mitcham has spoken openly about his sexuality in an interview ahead of competing in the London Olympics.

Mitcham, who came out publicly before winning gold in the 10-metre platform diving event the Beijing Olympics, said in an interview with Sydney Morning Herald:

A gay couple in Australia are fighting for custody of their six-year-old son after they were accused by US authorities of being part of an international paedophile ring.

Child protection authorities in Los Angeles took the child in October, while the FBI and Queensland Police investigate allegations, reported the Sydney Morning Herald.

The men, from Cairns in Queensland, are currently in LA and insist they are innocent.