Reports say the postal survey came in $20 million under budget.

While we are all overjoyed about the postal survey results on Tuesday, this survey should never have happened in the first place and it was a huge waste of taxpayer money. The postal survey was budgeted to cost a whopping $122 million.

“There are reports that the marriage equality postal survey came in $20 million under budget,” said Senator Janet Rice, the Australian Greens LGBTIQ spokesperson.

“Many LGBTIQ people will remain scarred by the traumatic ordeal the Government has put them through. Mr Turnbull could start making amends by investing this $20 million into mental health services for LGBTIQ people.

“We know that mental health services have received lots of requests for support these past couple of months,” said Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens mental health spokesperson.

“ReachOut Australia saw a 40 per cent increase in demand for services since the survey started. Services such as ReachOut need more funding to help them support members of the LGBTIQ community.

LGBTIQ people should never have had to deal with the whole country deciding whether or not they could have the same rights as everyone else, but now that the ordeal is over, we must offer them support.” Senator Rice said.