Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question. As I said yesterday and, I think, as Professor McGorry acknowledged today, I have discussed the matter with him. I will cite what Professor McGorry said publically rather than go into our private discussion. Professor McGorry made the point to agree with my proposition that Australians are able to have a civil discussion about this, but he said that he was concerned that there were some small elements—subgroups, I think, was the term he used—which would be intemperate in their conduct and that that could cause distress for some people in the LGBTI community.

I simply leave honourable members with this question, and it is a very fundamental one for our democracy: are we going to say that we may not have a public debate on a topic when it is alleged that there will be a minority, some small groups, that will act intemperately? Are we going to disentitle the vast majority of Australians from having their say?

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