Australian PM accused of selling out LGBT people
Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has been accused of selling out LGBT people over equal marriage.
Deputy opposition leader, Labor’s Tanya Plibersek, made the attack as she introduced her party’s second attempt at introducing same-sex marriage.
Speaking in the House of Representatives on Monday, Ms Plibersek said that 70% of Australians now support marriage equality and want to see it introduced.
She accused the Government of playing politics with peoples lives.
“For kids who’ve got two mums or two dads, to hear for months, or possibly even years, that there is something not right about their families, I just think is unforgivable and unacceptable,” she said.
“We don’t need a plebiscite. The Parliament can, and should, get marriage equality done.”
Ms Plibersek also accused former Prime Minister and Liberal leader, Tony Abbott, of forcing the hands of those in his party who supported a free vote on the matter.
She said: “Instead he proposed a national plebiscite – expensive, divisive, and meaningless – but a way of delaying equality for a bit longer.
“Members of his own party spoke publicly against this ‘captain’s call’. Including the Member for Wentworth [sic: Malcolm Turnbull].”
Turning to Mr Turnbull, she said many had hoped for change when he assumed office. However, he had turned out to be an “enormous disappointment”.
“He sold out LGBT Australians, traded away their right to equality, to become Prime Minister. He signed up to the plebiscite delaying tactic to secure the support of the Liberal Party’s right wing”.
Ms Plibersek said the Labor Party was re-introducing the bill because LGBT Australians had waited too long to marry their partners.
“Australians of all ages who’ve been told that their love isn’t equal, that their family isn’t real, that their relationship is bad for their children or somehow bad for society, have waited for too long,” she said.
Star Observer also reported that the Labor deputy leader said the impending budget and a double-dissolution election of both houses meant it was unlikely the Marriage Equality Bill would be voted on this week.
However, she added: “Our push for equality is not going away. Think of this bill as a marker – more than that, think of it as a promise.
“A promise that Labor will introduce legislation for marriage equality in the first 100 days of a Shorten Labor Government. Let’s get this done – it’s time.”
