Opposition leader Bill Shorten says he’d absolutely love to help Liberal MPs bring on a vote on marriage equality.
The Labor leader dismissed a poll released today that showed growing support for the government’s plebiscite proposal saying that most Australians just want the issue sorted.
“I think if it was a poll which asked Australians would you just like to see the marriage equality debate resolved I reckon there’d be big support for that,” he said.
“Let’s just get on and do it. There’s been 20 changes to the marriage act since the marriage act was created. None of them required to have a non-binding opinion poll costing $160 million.
“For goodness sake Malcolm, I know you agree with me, let’s just get on with this. Labor’s up for that.” Shorten said.
The Labor leader said he believed most Australians would not approve of the cost of the plebiscite or the effects the debate would have on members of the LGBT communities and their families.
“Australians know that a plebiscite is just a waste of money, they know it’ll have harmful outcomes in terms of some of the public debate.
“We’re going to be in parliament for a number of weeks for the rest of this year. We can just get on and have the vote.
“Quite frankly this issue’s been talked to death. I think many Australians are now sick and tired of it. The Prime Minister knows what should be done but he doesn’t have the ticker to do it.” Shorten said.
Liberal MPs Trent Zimmerman and Dean Smith have been working on a private members bill and have suggested that they will raise the issue within the Liberal party room when parliament returns in August.
OIP Staff
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