Greens plough ahead with marriage bill

Greens plough ahead with marriage bill

Despite not sealing a deal with the Labor Party over a conscience vote on gay marriage, the Greens have vowed to push ahead, announcing they will introduce legislation on the first day of the new Parliament.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young today reassured people that the Greens’ commitment to marriage equality was “rock-solid”, and said she would re-introduce a new Marriage Equality Bill on the first day of Parliament and push for a conscience vote.

“The fact that an agreement could not be reached with the Labor Party on equal marriage and other Greens policy priorities does not preclude the Greens from continuing to promote these issues,” Senator Hanson-Young said.

“In fact the agreement expressly notes this.

“The Greens are the only party in the Parliament with a commitment to delivering equal marriage rights for all, and we will push for this in the next parliamentary term, regardless of who forms Government.”

Hanson-Young said it was clear throughout the election campaign that there was genuine community consensus that gay and lesbian couples should have the right to marry.

“I will re-introduce my Marriage Equality Bill on the first day of the new Parliament, and will continue to pressure both sides of politics to grant their members a conscience vote on this important issue.”

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17 responses to “Greens plough ahead with marriage bill”

  1. Look, If The Greens had not of joined an aliance with the ALP then Tony Abbott may have been able to gain power by winning over the independents. Its better to have a Green and Labor aliance without same-sex marriage, rather than having the Liberals in power with Tony Abbott in charge.

  2. I think the Greens need to try harder & faster on this issue asap!! Gays, and their friends & relos voted Green this time around for equal rights for themselves & gay friends and relatives. The Greens can’t afford to wait this out any longer- they need to start agitating right now- they have the mandate for it.

  3. Labor needed the Greens more then Greens needed Labor. The Greens can make all the sounds they like in the Senate, but what mattered was the lower house. The Greens have agreed not even to push our basic rights with agreement with Labor.

    What about Abbott? The alternative was the same as far as our rights go. Lots of dog whistling from the Greens but they caved in over one weekend.

  4. I’m really frustrated by all this negativity. All the Greens have done is support one of the major parties to form government. It doesn’t mean labor are taking on board all of the Greens’ policies, or visa versa. I’m sure the Greens will keep pushing for marriage reform. I wonder what the reaction on this list would have been if they’d supported the homophobic Tony Abbott??

    xx

  5. I’m a lesbian, and I voted Greens because they were the only party that actually stood up for my rights this election. Just because it wasn’t part of the agreement to form a stable government, does not mean that the Greens have sold out on their strong stance on equal marriage. Surely our energy would be better spent lobbying both major parties to grant a conscious vote on the issue, instead of attacking the only party that actually supports marriage equality.

  6. I’m really excited about what the Greens brought to this election. When it came to LGBTIQ issues, they were across them all, not just marriage.

    I think we’ll see what a constructive group like the Greens can do throughout the entire parliamentary term – not just in helping form government.

  7. The Greens agreed to support Labor in minority Government because they offered the better prospect for advancing progressive politics in this country.

    Would you have preferred them to side with Tony Abbott and the Coalition?? Get real!

  8. Well the Greens sold us all out putting a study into rail on the agreement with Labor instead of Same-Sex Marriage or even ending discrimination.

    The Greens fucked us over. They can get fucked next time they want our vote.

  9. Rory, the whole point of having the balance of power was to extract concessions on reform – especially on same-sex marriage.

    The Greens could have demanded a conscience vote for same-sex marriage as a condition of supporting Gillard as PM.

    But the Greens didnt insist on that – and the ALP/Green alliance doesn

  10. One of the concessions in the deal was to allow more private member’s bills, which means Adam Bandt could introduce a marriage equality bill in the House of Reps. That way, not just Senators who toe the homophobic party line, like Penny Wong, would be put on the spot, but also the likes of Plibersek, Albanese and Turnbull. This lot would have to choose between obeying their party or finally doing what’s right for their electorates

  11. I think this is great news from the Greens.

    But I do think this story is low quality. Penny Wong gets absolutely blasted by SSO and others for stating her party line, and the Greens let this slide off the table and get their press release reprinted in full, without anyone other competing views being offered.

    Really, SSO needs to hold itself to higher standards.

  12. What’s really needed now to “move forward” is perhaps a Gay & Lesbian Political party to hold a seat if we don’t get any quick action from the Greens before the next election.

    One of the independents Andrew Wilkie has made it a condition of his support to include a conscience vote on same gender civil marriage. The Greens should have done the same.
    So many gays & lesbians (and their family & friends) voted Green for change in the civil marriage laws- & we don’t want to be kept waiting!!!!!!!
    All the general public know the Greens stand for gay marriage and thier leader is gay- so they don’t need to hold back to slowly educate the masses… just go for it, & get this done.
    One of the independants was also offered $1 Billion for one hospital- Labor & Libs are ON THIER KNEES- now is the time to make them hand over equal civil marriage… and it won’t cost them a Billion dollars- it’s something they can deliver virtually for free.

  13. Rebecca:-

    To your point, not only were same-sex marriage people sold out, people concerned about refugees were dumped too.

    Only four policy area were considered not negotiable: possibly more money for fental care; a committee on climate change; a debate on the war in afghanistan and a study on High Speed Rail.

    That’s the sum total the Greens got in return for giving Gillard the Lodge.

    (incidentally, I assume the SSO is going to feature the Greens sell-out in next week’s edition, because the silence so far has been very disconcerting)

  14. I hear you , Ben.

    Perhaps a vote for the Greens because of empty, or at the very least, meaningless/powerless/useless promises of Gay Marriage is really a wasted vote. Just as wasted as voting or supporting Penny Wong.

    It would be far better to support mainstream party candidates that are willing to publicly declare their support for Gay Marriage.

    I am very disappointed that both Wilke and the greens have signed on to Labor without getting us anything in return for our support.

  15. Oh I dunno, Ben … apparently many people thought the point of voting Green was to get some action happening on climate change and to express their support for a more humane, compassionate refugee policy.

    They’re called the GREENS, not the Same-Sex Marriage Party.

  16. What mealy mouthed humbug from the Senator.

    The Greens could have made it a condition of the alliance that Labor must allow a conscience vote on same sex marriage.

    No support for a conscience vote, no alliance…that’s the whole point of having the balance of power.

    No concession extracted on same sex marriage…what was the point of voting Green??