Tasmania. Apple isle. Jewel of the Tasman Sea. Low key the absolute best goddamn state in the country. Truly, it is God's country down there.

Good whisky and art and nature and food and such aside, the state also boasts one of the more surprisingly progressive political landscapes the nation has to offer.

And that "Good Political Dude" status has only been reaffirmed late yesterday, when Tassie's State Parliament passed in-principle support for marriage equality through the upper house, making the state the first in the nation to do so.

Support for any Federal marriage equality bill was passed through the state's Liberal Party-controlled lower house last year, as it has done twice beforehand. But unlike previous times, the bill was successfully adopted by the Upper House, passing with a clear majority vote of 8-5.

Marriage Equality campaigner Rodney Croome spoke to media, asserting that the vote was a clear message to the Federal Government.

"I think it sends a strong message to same-sex couples and their families that they are valued and should be treated equally and it sends a strong message to our federal Parliament to get on with the job of passing marriage equality."

"It sends the message to the Tasmanian people that our representatives are right behind marriage equality and it will encourage more Tasmanians to vote for the reform if they do end up at the ballot box."

Meanwhile Labor MHA Lara Giddings asserted that the successful Upper House vote was more evidence that a plebiscite on the issue is simply unnecessary.

"Tasmania has taken a stand just as I’m positive a groundswell of [federal MPs] would be willing to take a stand with a free vote on the floor."

Tasmanian Premier and Liberal leader Will Hodgman, however, toed his party line and remained supportive of the Federal Government's decision to have a plebiscite (even though it's expensive AF and will probably be outright ignored by Liberal MPs because LOL FUCK THE PUBLIC AND WHAT THEY THINK RIGHT).

Still, it's a really neat little step forward in the long and winding road towards granting LGBTQI people the right to stand before family, friends, law, government, God, Dog, Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch (or whoever else they so choose) to declare their everlasting love for the person they want to spend the rest of their lives with.

GO TASSIE! <3

Photo: Pacific Press/Getty.