Page 2640 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 10 August 2016
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Each of us in this place has been elected by the community we represent to be a voice for change, to bring forward legislation that is the betterment of our city and our citizens. Our federal counterparts have also gained the support of their electorates to do the same. It is incumbent upon those in parliament to follow the will of the people. The will of the people overwhelmingly is in support of marriage equality. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Hanson, himself said in June this year, “I think that it’s time that there should be national consensus. I would join that consensus and I would be saying yes to same-sex marriage.” Mr Hanson has the opportunity here today to stand by those words and support this motion as it stands. I would therefore call on the Canberra Liberals to support this motion and support the ACT government in calling on the Australian parliament to allow its members to have a free vote on marriage equality.
Let us be clear that since same-sex laws came into being in 2001 in the Netherlands a number of other countries have followed. We are being left behind in this law reform by Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Ireland, Iceland, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States and Uruguay—and a similar law in Finland yet not in force.
This is an important motion. We need to get on with this. The federal parliament has it within its power now to bring this change on. It may persist with a plebiscite. We need to be very mindful of that. We need to show respect for and maturity about our LGBTI community and for them to be respected and regarded through that public debate. As I have said, same-sex marriage is legal in 21 countries. Sixteen years ago the Netherlands brought this law into place. For 16 years I would say Australia has been behind the eight ball. For 16 years we have not given due regard, dignity and respect to many in our community. Now is the time to make up for those lost years.
The motion has many parts. It reaffirms this Assembly’s support for marriage equality. It confirms its position that marriage equality is best achieved through a free vote of all federal members and senators. The motion asks that this Assembly call on the Australian parliament to consider the issue of marriage equality as a priority when sitting resumes and to resolve the issue through a free vote of all members of parliament. The motion I have before the Assembly today says that:
(1) if the Federal Parliament determines to hold a marriage equality plebiscite, the Assembly calls on the ACT Government to:
(a) demonstrate that the ACT is Australia’s most lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and questioning (LGBTIQ) friendly jurisdiction by supporting the case for marriage equality;
(b) actively engage in the local and national plebiscite debate;
(c) support ACT Government employees participating in constructive, respectful and informed discussions on the issue; and
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