It was the powerful message behind the Regional Marriage Equality Roadshow’s stopover in Tamworth at the weekend. 

Tamworth-based NSW Young Nationals vice president Michael Hansen said the same-sex marriage issue was one that affected all regional areas, and the visiting roadshow acknowledged that.

The regional roadshow was at the Tamworth Hotel on Saturday night, before meeting at Bicentennial Park on Sunday morning to go about everyday weekend activities in a show of support for the ‘yes’ vote.

“It’s a sign that this isn’t just a middle-of-Newtown issue, it’s all over, and it affects people far and wide,” Mr Hansen said.

“The purpose of today is for people to be able to come together in a show of support for the yes vote and say it’s okay to vote yes west of the dividing range.

“We’re going into the main street and going about our lives the way we normally would – buying coffee, buying things from shops, doing the things that just happen in life because that’s exactly what will happen should the yes vote get through and parliament make amendments to the Marriage Act.

“The same person that is buying a coffee from you today will be the same person that’s buying a coffee from you tomorrow – they may just be wearing a ring on a different finger. 

Mr Hansen said the roadshow encouraged discussion, after the High Court ruled on September 7 the $122 million same-sex marriage postal vote could go ahead.

Roadshow organiser Mitchell Clout said they’d been on the road since last Thursday, visiting regional towns.

“The purpose of this campaign is to show regional areas this isn’t an issue just affecting people in Melbourne or Sydney as lots of people think,” Mr Clout said.

“We want to get the message of marriage equality off the table by the end of the year – hopefully for the better.”

The road trip also looks to help people in regional areas to campaign on the issue in the hope of “getting some momentum going”.