The campaign for marriage equality has begun with former Prime Minister Tony Abbott firing one of the first salvos this morning.

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Abbott declared that people should vote against allowing same sex couples to wed if they believed marriage was only for heterosexuals, but also if they had concerns about religious freedom, or thought there was too much political correctness in society.

“If you don’t like political correctness, vote no because voting no will help to stop political correctness in its tracks.” Abbott told reporters in Canberra this morning.

Former Greens Leader Bob Brown has hit back saying Abbott is engineering his own defeat on the issue. Brown said the postal vote should not proceed but Abbott’s negative call to voters, if a postal vote proceeds, would be a miserable failure.

“Modern Australia has abandoned the homophobia of the past. Abbott listed three arguments for voting to stick with last century discrimination: dislike of same sex marriage, religious freedom and political correctness.

“He would be a loser on all three points let alone the question of liberal philosophy. Abbott is right out of touch with modern Australians’ majority support for equality in marriage.” Brown said.

The former Prime Minister is not the only voice to declare that the postal plebiscite is not just about whether same-sex couples can get married. The Australian Christian Lobby says the government’s survey will be a referendum on free speech and whether the Safe School program will be in Australian schools.

The lobby groups Managing Director Lyle Shelton said people only have to look at the United Kingdom to see that allowing gay marriage had led to more recognition of transgender rights.

“There is no greater threat to freedom of conscience and freedom of speech than same-sex marriage. Gender fluid ideology is its fellow traveller” Shelton said in a statement.

Earlier today the government failed with its plan to revive the plebiscite when the senate voted against it for a second time. They will now roll out a postal plebiscite administered by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The plan has a few roadblocks to navigate though, as marriage equality advocates have already announced they’ll challenge the move in the High Court.

OIP Staff