Australia-Supporters of marriage equality – that is, most of Australia – would have had cause to despair when the Turnbull government was re-elected by the barest of margins on 2 July.
Under a Labor government, marriage equality would have been a reality in Australia by the end of this year. Imagine the jubilation that Australia had finally caught up with the USA, UK, New Zealand and Ireland and the joy for same-sex couples who had waited so long to seal their union.
For those with an optimistic streak, there may still have been a thread of hope left that Turnbull, the former champion of progressive policies and ideas within the Liberal Party and a passionate supporter of marriage equality, would at least force the issue with the conservative wing of his party by putting forward a plebiscite before the end of the year as he promised. Even if it would be a nasty and destructive battle for victory.
Those tenuous hopes have now been dashed. After pledging repeatedly before the election that he would bring forward a plebiscite before the end of the year, he has now put the brakes on.
The plebiscite could be “held early next year”, he says – or, if Eric Abetz and his conservative friends get their way, it will never be held at all.
Mr Turnbull has clear self-interest in avoiding the plebiscite. He knows that it could be the issue which brings down his leadership, fracturing his already divided party right down the middle.
He would face the spectre of Cory Bernardi, Eric Abetz, and Zed Seselja campaigning openly against the right for same-sex couples to be married in what is likely to be a very ugly campaign, while he looks on with a faint grimace, unable to condemn them as he would like. Were a hint of disdain detected, the right wing would have all the pretext they needed to begin a move against him.
The marriage equality plebiscite was invented by Tony Abbott as a delaying tactic and a way to shore up his teetering leadership. Turnbull only agreed to a plebiscite to curry favour with the right wing of the party. Now, under his prime ministership, the plebiscite has become a ticking time bomb, and he will delay it as long as he can.
It is a disgusting way to treat the hopes and dreams of LGBTI Australians.
None of this has to happen. If Mr Turnbull had any spine at all – if he recognised from his fading popularity that the public desperately wants to see him take a stand on something – he would dump this plebiscite today and go to a vote as soon as parliament returns.
Labor will put forward a private members bill in the first weeks of the 45th parliament to change the marriage act and make same-sex marriage legal in Australia, because we believe the parliament is where this decision should be made.
Labor believes there is enough support in the parliament if a conscience vote were to take place to make marriage equality a reality within the first few weeks of parliament. We call on Mr Turnbull to show leadership and consider allowing this to happen.
It would be a much-needed display of bipartisanship, it would avoid a hurtful public debate, and it would show that Mr Turnbull is not afraid of his own backbench, suggesting the former man of conviction is still in there somewhere.
It would give LGBTI Australians the equal rights they deserve, bring Australia into the 21st century, and achieve marriage equality without a vitriolic public debate.
Sadly, I have very strong doubts this will happen. Prime minister Turnbull has had many opportunities to show spine, to take initiative and show leadership. He has failed all of these.
It is likely he will fail here again. And it will no longer be a surprise.
Under a Labor government, marriage equality would have been a reality in Australia by the end of this year. Imagine the jubilation that Australia had finally caught up with the USA, UK, New Zealand and Ireland and the joy for same-sex couples who had waited so long to seal their union.
For those with an optimistic streak, there may still have been a thread of hope left that Turnbull, the former champion of progressive policies and ideas within the Liberal Party and a passionate supporter of marriage equality, would at least force the issue with the conservative wing of his party by putting forward a plebiscite before the end of the year as he promised. Even if it would be a nasty and destructive battle for victory.
Those tenuous hopes have now been dashed. After pledging repeatedly before the election that he would bring forward a plebiscite before the end of the year, he has now put the brakes on.
The plebiscite could be “held early next year”, he says – or, if Eric Abetz and his conservative friends get their way, it will never be held at all.
Mr Turnbull has clear self-interest in avoiding the plebiscite. He knows that it could be the issue which brings down his leadership, fracturing his already divided party right down the middle.
He would face the spectre of Cory Bernardi, Eric Abetz, and Zed Seselja campaigning openly against the right for same-sex couples to be married in what is likely to be a very ugly campaign, while he looks on with a faint grimace, unable to condemn them as he would like. Were a hint of disdain detected, the right wing would have all the pretext they needed to begin a move against him.
The marriage equality plebiscite was invented by Tony Abbott as a delaying tactic and a way to shore up his teetering leadership. Turnbull only agreed to a plebiscite to curry favour with the right wing of the party. Now, under his prime ministership, the plebiscite has become a ticking time bomb, and he will delay it as long as he can.
It is a disgusting way to treat the hopes and dreams of LGBTI Australians.
None of this has to happen. If Mr Turnbull had any spine at all – if he recognised from his fading popularity that the public desperately wants to see him take a stand on something – he would dump this plebiscite today and go to a vote as soon as parliament returns.
Labor will put forward a private members bill in the first weeks of the 45th parliament to change the marriage act and make same-sex marriage legal in Australia, because we believe the parliament is where this decision should be made.
Labor believes there is enough support in the parliament if a conscience vote were to take place to make marriage equality a reality within the first few weeks of parliament. We call on Mr Turnbull to show leadership and consider allowing this to happen.
It would be a much-needed display of bipartisanship, it would avoid a hurtful public debate, and it would show that Mr Turnbull is not afraid of his own backbench, suggesting the former man of conviction is still in there somewhere.
It would give LGBTI Australians the equal rights they deserve, bring Australia into the 21st century, and achieve marriage equality without a vitriolic public debate.
Sadly, I have very strong doubts this will happen. Prime minister Turnbull has had many opportunities to show spine, to take initiative and show leadership. He has failed all of these.
It is likely he will fail here again. And it will no longer be a surprise.
Source: theguardian
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