The Senate in Australia voted down a measure that would have legalized same sex marriage by a vote of 41 to 26 on Thursday.  The vote came one day after the lower house on Wednesday rejected a separate private members bill by 98 votes to 42.

The Labor Party allowed its members a conscience vote on the issue which means each Senator was allowed to vote separately.  The coalition did not which required all of their party’s Senators to vote the same.

A private members bill is on hold in the Senate, and supporters say they will sit on that bill until they are sure it can pass.  They say it might even mean waiting for a new Prime Minister to get elected.