Labor, The Greens and Independents Have Just Announced Separate Marriage Equality Bills
Neither bill is expected to actually be debated or passed.
Labor leader Bill Shorten has announced that he will introduce a marriage equality bill into parliament, setting up a show down with Malcolm Turnbull who is so far sticking with his policy for a plebiscite.
BREAKING: @tanya_plibersek & I have given notice that we intend to introduce a private member’s bill to make marriage equality a reality.
— Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp) August 30, 2016
Almost immediately after Shorten announced his bill, a crossbench group consisting of Greens MP Adam Bandt and independent MPs Andrew Wilkie and Cathy McGowan announced that they would be introducing their own marriage equality legislation. The crossbench MPs are calling for co-sponsors from the Labor and Liberal parties. Good to see everyone is working together on this important, overdue progressive reform.
Adam Bandt, Andrew Wilkie and Cathy McGowan also introducing a private member’s bill on marriage equality, calling for Labor/Lib co-sponsors
— Michael Koziol (@michaelkoziol) August 30, 2016
The competing bills demonstrate the lack of co-operation plaguing the issue of marriage equality in the current parliament. Shorten announced during the election that if Labor won office he would legislate for marriage equality in his first 100 days. The Coalition promised a plebiscite on the issue and are sticking to their word, despite pressure from marriage equality campaigners.
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The marriage equality bills can only be debated and voted on in the House of Representatives if the government allows it. Labor, the Greens or the independents could attempt to suspend standing orders and force a vote on the bills but that would require Liberal MPs to cross the floor. At this stage it looks more likely the Liberal party will ignore the bills and press on with the plan for a plebiscite.
The Greens, Nick Xenophon and Derryn Hinch have all announced they will attempt to block the plebiscite from going ahead. If Labor joins them, the Coalition will lack the numbers in the Senate to get the plebiscite through the parliament, meaning no public vote could be held.
It’s not the first time Bill Shorten has introduced a bill for marriage equality. He announced a similar bill back in 2015. That bill was debated, but not voted on. If a marriage equality bill was voted on in the current parliament, it would likely pass both houses if the Coalition allowed a free vote of its MPs.
Marriage equality advocates, like Alex Greenwich from Australian Marriage Equality, have been calling on federal politicians from all parties to work together.
Anyone saying we can/should wait for equality is doing a massive disservice to the LGBTI community – c’mon Feds, work together to win
— Alex Greenwich MP (@AlexGreenwich) August 26, 2016
Judging by today’s events it looks like marriage equality will continue to be used as a political football for some time yet.