Lobbyists say marriage equality now key election issue after Malcolm Turnbull confirms support for plebsicte
Image: Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull
PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s confirmation earlier today that the Coalition under his leadership will continue to support a plebiscite on marriage equality has prompted Australian Marriage Equality (AME) to now call it a key election issue.
During his first parliamentary sitting since ascending to the country’s top office overnight after a successful leadership ballot against Tony Abbott, Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek raised the question of where he stood on the issue.
[showads ad=MREC]“It would take half an hour of parliamentary time to allow this bill to be voted on,” she said (scroll down to watch the video of the debate).
“Will the PM allow a vote on this bill and allow members of his party a free vote as he’s publicly called for previously?”
In response, Turnbull — who has stated his support for the Liberals to adopt a conscience vote in the lead-up to the Coalition party room meeting in August that rejected it — said: “If we are re-elected to government, every single Australian will have a say.”
The new PM also said that amendment to the federal Marriage Act to make marriage equality reality would be “determined by a vote of the people, all the people, via a plebiscite”.
Turnbull, whose Sydney electorate includes some of Australia’s most LGBTI-centric suburbs, went on to defend the cost of the plebiscite despite acknowledging it was the costlier option.
The Australia Electoral Commission’s submission to a Senate enquiry last week estimated that if a plebiscite were to be conducted at the next Federal Election, it would cost $44 million. However, if the plebiscite were to be conducted on its own, it’s estimated it would cost $158 million.
“When did it cease to be democratic to let the people speak?” Turnbull said.
Last week, the Victorian and NSW gay and lesbian rights lobbies released the results of a joint survey that confirmed 70 per cent of respondents were against a plebiscite.
AME national director Rodney Croome said millions of Australians would be “disappointed that this parliament, like the last one, has failed to deliver marriage equality” and that Turnbull had “not seized the opportunity” to do so.
Regardless of which party wins the next election we need the support of a majority of MPs to make marriage equality a reality,” he said in a statement.
“We will work hard right up to election day to make sure a majority of members of the next parliament will vote for marriage equality.”
“But should Mr Turnbull be prime minister after the election, and the Coalition decides to proceed with a plebiscite, we look forward to working with him to ensure a plebiscite is conducted fairly, with a neutral question and that it occurs as quickly as possible.
“We are confident a majority of Australians will vote ‘yes’ for candidates who support marriage equality at the next election and would also vote ‘yes’ in a fairly-framed plebiscite.”
At its national conference earlier this year, Labor promised it would introduce marriage equality legislation within the first 100 days of parliament if were to win the next federal election.
Labor parliamentarians, as well as the Greens, also have a conscience vote on the issue. Coalition cabinet members are currently bound to vote against it.
Nonetheless, Australia made history earlier today when Turnbull was officially sworn in as PM — it’s the first time the leader of the government and the leader of the opposition are both in publicly support of marriage equality.
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No Aaron – its’ got nothing to do with the Liberal Party “getting anything”- reading this column it seems very few commentators in here “get it” either. Fact is, to secure support for him getting the top job Malcolm has done a deal with the far right of the Liberal Party to stick to the plebiscite thing mooted (under pressure) by Tony Abbott. Nothing’s changed – the plebiscite thing has only become more set in concrete. Being real about it- Malcolm probably only cares about the issue because he knows he’s got a load of gays in his electorate but that doesn’t mean to say he’s passionate about our cause. He’s just another politician looking at his wider picture of self interest and for us that’s better than nothing…there’s a chance something good might come out of it eventually. As for the poor boys who think that voting Labor and Greens is the answer – I won’t even go into the morality stories there- especially with Labor who had years to do something and didn”t. Admittedly the Greens have always been consistent but lets face it – they are never likely to rule anything more than a dolls house and God help us all if they do. Helen’s got a load of good points – equality is a major tenant of what it is to be conservative- its just a pity the AUstralian Liberal Party is still dominated by the looney right and religious zealots like Andrews, Abetz and Bernardi.
The Liberal party just does not get it! The lights are on, but no one is home!
Malcolm Turn-table is a complete asshole and a total cunt, just like his Liberal mate Tony Abbott (who is also a complete asshole and a total cunt)!
Well Turnbull is not actually offering equality, or a conscience vote if Labor has one. When he married Lucy, he did not have the Liberal and National Party give hate speech about him and Lucy. He did not have to raise millions for a political campaign. He just proposed and they married. When Turnbull took power, no plebiscite for him! No people having a say, not one member of the public had a vote, and he is certainly not asking for that in a hurry is he? Turnbull in no way shape or form is offering equality with a plebiscite that is simply, a poll with no binding ability. Even if we can raise the millions for a campaign, and the plebiscite shows a majority support equality, Turnbull is not offering to pass equal laws. He is offering to keep apartheid against GLBTI Australians, because the polls show now the majority support equality, from the same polling companies the LNP uses to determine public support to change leaders! Turnbull calls all this “An exciting time to be Australian”. Turnbull has already demonstrated he is dishonest, it is not exciting to have such a dishonest Prime Minister.
I know people are frustrated with our new p.m but the ideology of the liberal party is on
Individual liberty
Free market
Family
All the gay liberals should stop and think how they really fit into this agenda
Our p.m is exercising his right and ambition to be as selfish as he wants to with the party’s philosophy
Makes sense even if it’s frustrating.
Also what are the values of the Labor party, while we are on the subject of the Liberal party?
I hate both of these major parties and vote Green, in every federal election!
@Paul – Bill Shorten has repeatedly stated he will introduce a bill for marriage equality within 100 days of being elected Prime Minister.
“Bill Shorten has repeatedly stated he will introduce a bill for marriage equality within 100 days of being elected Prime Minister.”
This is nothing but spin, lies and trickery for LGBTI voters – do not be fooled by it!
I voted for the first time in 2007 and 8 years later still a ban on gay marriage!
Do not be fooled by Bill Short policy or Electricity bill [Bill Shorten]! I did vote Labor in the past (Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard), but now vote for the Greens EVERYTIME an election comes around – why? Because it was Labor that helped the Liberals pass a Marriage Amendment Bill 2004 under an alliance in the Senate to outlaw gay marriage within Australia! and every policy platform has been about LGBTI rights – but never delivered – unless it suited them. We had to wait until 2009 for de facto relationship recognition! We had to wait in 2013 for federal discrimination protections too! We will have to wait until 2019 at least for a “binding” vote on marriage equality and Labor might not be in government, so we might have to wait until 2022 at least or possibly longer! Even if they are in government the Senate might be HOSTILE to any government agendas (Liberals, Nationals, Katter, Family First and/or DLP will team-up and vote against it).
The Liberals (as hopeless as they are on any LGBTI rights) will NEVER EVER change there policy on marriage – so for the love of god NEVER EVER vote for them either!
Bill Shorten (Labor) actually introduced a Marriage Amendment (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015 on June 1, 2015! It is sitting within the “Federation Chamber” as a second reading speech of the House of Representatives!
Do not blame me!
That is why I vote Labor and will ALWAYS vote Labor!
One of the only things that made him different from Abbott and he sold out. He will not get my vote.
That is why you can change the leader 1000 times over, but hey you can never change the POLICY! That is why I never ever in a million years vote Liberal! The Liberal party are the well-known “bigots party”!
Less than 24 hours as Prime Minister and Turnbull betrays the G&L community.
As Prime Minister, he’s embraced the Abbott script. No vote in parliament. A divisive plebiscite. Timing – no time soon.
A month ago, Turnbull wanted a free vote in parliament, not a divisive plebiscite. And he went on, if there was to be a plebiscite, it should be before the next election.
4 weeks later and marriage equality is traded off to become Prime Minister.
Omit: – “G&L community”
Substitute: – “LGBTI community”
That’s better and more inclusive of our community too!