George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I was surprised to read a statement earlier this week by the member for Isaacs and the member for Griffiths, taking issue with freedom of religious protections contained in the government's proposed amendments to the Marriage Act should same-sex marriage be supported by the Australian people in a plebiscite. According to their statement, Labor is not happy because 'a same-sex couple could be barred from a reception hall, for example, or using a particular caterer, if it is ultimately owned by a religious organisation.'

When the member for Isaacs goes back to his electorate, I challenge him to drive down the road to Minaret College—the Islamic college of Melbourne south and east—and explain to their board why they must allow a same-sex marriage ceremony to take place in that school's multipurpose hall. The member for Griffith might want to explain to the Catholic parishioners at Our Lady of Mt Carmel in Coorparoo why their church hall should be rented out for same-sex marriage receptions. In fact every Labor member should visit their local church, synagogue or mosque and explain themselves this weekend, because that is what the Labor Party wants: religious institutions with no right to refuse non-worship services from being utilised for the purposes of validating same-sex marriages. To do so is to deny churches and religious institutions the right to freedom of religion and freedom of conscience. That is what the Labor Party wants to do—deny churches freedom of religion and freedom of conscience. I never thought I would see the day in this country.

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