US President Barack Obama's public support for gay marriage highlights how 'backwards' Prime Minister Julia Gillard's views are, a gay rights campaigner said at a rally in Brisbane.
Hundreds of pro-gay marriage supporters packed Queen's Park in Brisbane's CBD on Saturday to urge the federal government to give gays and lesbians the right to marry.
Simultaneous rallies were also held in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Canberra, Adelaide and Hobart to celebrate the Marriage Equality National Day of Action on Saturday.
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Co-convener of pro-gay marriage group Equal Love, Jessica Payne, says the number of people who turned up to support the rally was testament to how much support the movement had.
"If one of the world's most powerful people (Mr Obama) is supporting gay marriage, then it just shows how backwards Julia Gillard and the government is," she told the rally to thunderous applause.
Mr Obama last week announced his unequivocal support for gay marriage in the lead-up to the US presidential elections.
Ms Gillard has reaffirmed her opposition to gay marriage in the wake of Mr Obama's announcement.
Marriage equality supporters in Brisbane also heard from rock group Faker's openly gay lead singer Nathan Hudson.
Hudson told the crowd that while he was not sure he ever wanted to marry, it was important he had a choice.
"I'm a human being and that's all that should matter," he said.
In Sydney, Federal Greens senator Lee Rhiannon called for the ALP caucus to bind on same sex marriage rather than allow conscience votes.
Katherine Hudson, the founder of youth same sex attracted advocacy organisation Wear It Purple, compared same sex marriage to the abolition of slavery, the fight for women's rights and the recognition of indigenous people.
Actor and comedian Magda Szubanski, who recently came out as lesbian on national television, told a Melbourne crowd politicians would soon become irrelevant as the push for change would overwhelm them.
