Linda Burney (Barton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I had a lovely day on Sunday. I met my two adult children and we drove to Mount Wilson. It is a beautiful place—a homestead and stunning gardens. There are B&Bs and a wedding venue, and there was a wedding taking place at the time. My son said to me, 'Mum, when I get married I'd like to get married here. But of course it has to be made legal first.' He was equally clear that this plebiscite on foot is not the way in which he wants his relationships legitimised. Today I join with my colleagues to say no to a publicly funded hate campaign, no to the world's most expensive and pointless opinion poll and no to a divisive plebiscite that will do nothing but make LGBTIQ young people and older people feel less secure while the legitimacy of their relationship is debated publicly. The member for Fairfax, who just spoke, must be living in La La Land if he thinks it is not going to get ugly.

To be frank, the Plebiscite (Same-Sex Marriage) Bill is an absolute failure of leadership, the negative results of which will inevitably be borne by loving same-sex couples and their children. The conservatives in this place are all for Westminster democracy, just not on this issue. These are the Neanderthal attitudes of the right wing rump of the Liberal Party, the conservatives, who do not even recognise a modern democracy in a country that prides itself on equity and a fair go. Australians overwhelmingly back the right for LGBTIQ people to marry. Australian people know that the only real way to measure the worth of a relationship is by the love between two people. Labor has taken the time to consult the community. We have consulted the community at length, both at the federal level and in our own communities. It is clear what the message has been from the LGBTIQ community—they would prefer to wait until there is there is a free vote in this parliament and not be put through the potential horrors of a plebiscite.

Just last night I received an email from a constituent, one of many, which I think sums up the fears many LGBTIQ people have about this plebiscite. I would like to read this email into the Hansard, because it says everything.

The document read as follows—

Dear Ms Burney

I'm a 53 year old gay man, I've lived through the stigma of being a gay teenager when homosexuality was deemed illegal.

I can't convey to you how distressing, hurtful and how these laws retarded my own acceptance of my sexuality.

The angst was so great, I internalized my personal struggle until I was 33 and on coming out had a complete breakdown, caused by years of repressing my own feelings.

I've suffered discrimination in the work place over the decades & even walked away from jobs to remove myself from be bullied because is my sexual preference.

I now find myself in my 50's in a personal great space… Marriage equality would be one of the last few pieces to complete my life's puzzle.

Please, I can’t reiterate it enough don’t expose the LGBTIQ community to the proposed plebiscite, it well be very hurtful and re open many held wounds.

This proposal risks opening up the wounds of many older LGBTIQ people and, what is more, it risks subjecting young people who are questioning their sexuality or those whose parents are in same-sex relationships to a debate in which, there is no doubt, terrible things will be said and feelings will be hurt. Those hurt feelings will last a lifetime. Yet another constituent wrote to me recently to say this about her same-sex relationship and family:

I am proud of my family and support the parliament considering a change to the legislation in this area. However, I do not support a process which will encourage hate campaigns against the validity of my family and require us to yet again justify our existence.

What about that: being required to justify your existence, unlike any other group within the Australian community? Another person said:

When so many people in the queer community are crying out for help, when self harm and suicide are shockingly common, I'm hoping that you can make this right. Then Australia can move into the 21st century and start dealing with the other pressing issues we have at hand.

I thought that was a very insightful and extremely generous thing for that person to communicate to me.

There have been countless letters and emails from decent people who simply do not want to be the subject of a nasty public debate and its consequences. But, of course, telling of the fear and hate campaign is what this plebiscite will bring about. People in the LGBTI community know this and they have spoken at length with the Labor Party. The Labor Party, unlike those opposite, have listened to what the community has pleaded with us to do and we are doing what the community has advised us.

We cannot encourage hate campaigns when there is no justification, and there is no justification. The point has been made on countless occasions that a free vote could happen this week in this parliament without this expensive, hateful campaign.

When I was 10 years old this country held a referendum about my rights and the rights of all Aboriginal people to be counted as citizens in our census. We did that because constitutional change requires referenda. This change does not require a referendum. It requires bravery; it requires decency; and it requires honesty from those opposite. I am lucky that I was mostly protected from the No campaign back then, but there is no doubt that many were not. Awful things were said about Aboriginal people.

I have faith in the majority of Australians to conduct debates with respect, but we have already seen the evidence that that is not the case entirely. We have already seen in the state of Western Australia examples of hateful campaigns run by the Liberal Party. The Prime Minister has said that he believes we 'will be able to have a respectful discussion about this issue'. I do not think there is anyone in this House who is naive enough to believe that. Mr Speaker, may I seek permission to continue my contribution in a little while?

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