Page 2641 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 10 August 2016
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(d) support local LGBTIQ communities throughout the plebiscite process, particularly during the SpringOut Pride Festival in October and November 2016.
No-one should be made to feel different or lesser because of who they love. We will do everything that we can do to ensure a supportive environment through this process. I note that there is an amendment now being circulated. Its aim is to gut the motion. It states that a national plebiscite is due to be conducted and just notes “supports a free and respectful discussion”. It makes no commitment. It does not ask this Assembly to step up in any way, shape or form and that this government, this community, be absolutely active in promoting a positive outcome and environment for this discussion to be had with respect and regard to all involved and their families.
Mr Hanson said back in June this year, when it suited his purpose, that he would be saying yes. A very clear demonstration of his commitment, rather than the quick offside grab to the Canberra Times when it suited his purpose, would be to back this motion as it is, in full, without amendment. Mr Hanson may be being told behind the scenes that he has to pull back on his support for marriage equality and support for those in the community that need this parliament to stand up. Everyone in here should be showing the leadership that this community ought to have by their elected representatives. That leadership is around supporting marriage equality. We brought the law into this place. It was in place for a number of weeks. We had 31 marriages.
Mr Hanson and others fought against that law. They supported the federal push to have those 31 marriages annulled. Think of the celebrations that we could have had now if they were upstanding. But no, 31 marriages were annulled because the conservatives on that side of this chamber and those in federal parliament cannot simply get behind this law reform that has been 16 years in the coming. We cannot wait any longer. It must progress. As I said, no-one in this community ought to be made to feel different or lesser because of the person they love. They have the right to stand and be married and have that recognised by society and all citizens of this community.
MR HANSON (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition) (3.48): I will correct a couple of factual things. Firstly, the statement that I made quite publicly that Ms Burch is referring to was in June last year, not June this year. That might be a little academic. But I would say that my personal support for gay people, lesbians and intersex in this community has been pretty strong over a long period. Indeed, in my maiden speech I made the point that I support the advancement of rights for gay and lesbian people.
The Canberra Liberals have done that in this chamber. I will get to the issue of same-sex marriage in a minute, but in terms of spent convictions, in terms of issues with regard to birth certificates and so on, it is my recollection that over the past four years we have supported all that legislation that has been brought forward by the government. I recall being thanked by the Chief Minister on a couple of occasions when we provided that support.
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